Marketing- Let’s Not Talk About It

12 Oct Marketing- Let’s Not Talk About It

I read an excellent article the other day from a lighting agency professional.  It was the story of a client who was spending a lot of money to design a space with stone, glass and media displays. When the conversation turned to lighting, the client didn’t see the need to spend a “bunch of money on fancy lights”.   The article addressed the question of why spend money on details and not go the final step to make sure it is all displayed with great light. You can view the article here: http://www.sdalighting.com/blog/value-lighting-design

The article prompted me to think about how the same concept could apply to marketing.  As business owners, especially in the B2B world, there is often a feeling that marketing is not all that big a deal.  For lighting agencies and/or distributors, marketing has typically been more event driven. LightFair, mini trade shows, lunch and learns, golf tournaments. Don’t get me wrong, these events certainly have their place in an overall strategy: they are marketing efforts and should always be considered in the plan with measured expectations. These efforts do incur an expense. A business owner, may feel these are sufficient and that they are doing just fine without the added expense of additional marketing messages or tools about the products and services they provide, “Why start now?”

You work hard, and your people work hard. You have a nice office, and the teams works hard to be the best lighting agency resource in your market. You may feel there isn’t a need to do any more than what you are already doing because you are working harder than you ever have.

These assumptions raise the following questions:

• While you and your team are working hard every day, why wouldn’t you want a marketing strategy that works in tandem to keep you top of mind and provide much needed information to your customers in an industry that is changing and becoming more competitive every day?
• Why wouldn’t you invest in as many tools and resources as possible that not only saves your customer time but educates and establishes you as a true resource in the market?
• Why not invest in the future? New demographics, digital technology, and lighting controls are changing the way business is conducted. Businesses that stay ahead of the future WIN!

It sounds expensive, right? While there is always some investment in growing your business, there are many ways to start, based on the goals of each individual agency. The key is a plan and commitment. You may ask, “what about return on investment?  “Many business owners have tried marketing efforts and have not seen immediate results; therefore, they conclude it is ineffective.  A marketing strategy is not a sprint; it is a long steady jog. There are many ways to measure return on investment other than a sale. With an increasingly digital customer base, marketing an agency is imperative to grow and survive. With increased competition within the local market, growing manufacturer lines, pressures from outside sources, and online sources marketing is not just another expense, but it is rather, an investment in the growth of the business. The agency that provides continual “top of mind” awareness, needed resources and tools, knowledge and service will win. Look beyond what you are doing today, and start talking about and building great marketing plan.

Credits for article: JP Bedell, SDA Lighting