Front Row Media is please to announce we will be sponsoring the King’s Old Boy’s Rugby Union Club (KOBS) again in 2008. Front Row Media has sponsored KOBS since 2000, this year our sponsorship will include, maintaining their website along with a new weekly award “Big Hit Free Brick” for the biggest clean tackle made on the field each week.

We wish the club well for the up and coming season. If you are interested in playing rugby, Kings has 5 Grade side’s and an U21′s side.

Visit Kings: http://www.kobweb.org.au/

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a one person shop, to be successful, you must have a marketing strategy and you must implement it consistently. However, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune and you don’t have to be a creative genius.

The key is developing a marketing strategy that forms a solid foundation for your promotional efforts. Implementing promotional activities such as advertising, direct mail or even networking and one-to-one sales efforts without a marketing strategy is like buying curtains for a house you are building before you have an architectural plan. How would you even know how many curtains to buy or what size they needed to be?

You can develop a strong marketing foundation by:

1. Defining your product or service:

How is your product or service packaged? What is it that your customers are really buying? You may be selling web-based software tools but your clients are buying increased productivity, improved efficiency and cost savings. And if you offer several products or services which ones are the most viable to promote?

2. Identifying your target market:

Everyone or anybody might be potential clients for your product. However, you probably don’t have the time or money to market to Everyone or Anybody. Who is your ideal customer? Who does it make sense for you to spend your time and money promoting your service to? You might define your ideal customer in terms of income, age, geographic area, number of employees, revenues, industry, etc. For example a massage therapist might decide her target market is women with household incomes of $75,000 or more who live in the Uptown area.

3. Knowing your competition:

Even if there are no direct competitors for your service, there is always competition of some kind. Something besides your product is competing for the potential client’s money. What is it and why should the potential customer spend his or her money with you instead? What is your competitive advantage or unique selling proposition?

4. Finding a niche:

Is there a market segment that is not currently being served or is not being served well? A niche strategy allows you to focus your marketing efforts and dominate your market, even if you are a small player.

5. Developing awareness:

It is difficult for a potential client to buy your product or service if they don’t even know or remember it exists. Generally a potential customer will have to be exposed to your product 5 to 15 times before they are likely to think of your product when the need arises. Needs often arise unexpectedly. You must stay in front of your clients consistently if they are going to remember your product when that need arises.

6. Building credibility:

Not only must clients be aware of your product or service, they also must have a positive disposition toward it. Potential customers must trust that you will deliver what you say you will. Often, especially with large or risky purchases, you need to give them the opportunity to “sample”, “touch”, or “taste” the product in some way. For example, a trainer might gain credibility and allow potential customers to “sample” their product by offering free, hour long presentations on topics related to their area of specialty.

7. Being Consistent:

Be consistent in every way and in everything you do. This includes the look of your collateral materials, the message you deliver, the level of customer service, and the quality of the product. Being consistent is more important than having the “best” product. This in part is the reason for the success of chains. Whether you’re going to Little Rock, Arkansas or New York City, if you reserve a room at a Courtyard Marriott you know exactly what you’re going to get.

8. Maintaining Focus:

Focus allows for more effective utilization of the scarce resources of time and money. Your promotional budget will bring you greater return if you use it to promote a single product to a narrowly defined target market and if you promote that same product to that same target market over a continuous period of time.

Before you ever consider developing a brochure, running an ad, implementing a direct mail campaign, joining an organization for networking or even conducting a sales call, begin by mapping a path to success through the development of a consistent, focused marketing strategy.

Since the release of Transfromers new website, they have enjoyed increased sales.

Visit their website here

Since 1986 Rinex Integrated Power have been one of the most experienced and competent Maintenance companies in Sydney. With a brand in need of upgrading, Rinex approached Front Row Meida to take on the re-brand of their company.

Concentrate on Sales First:

The rest will follow as the need arises. Without sales nothing else can happen without making losses.

Speed to Market:
Get your product out there and start selling. You need the dollars for going forward; and your customers will help you to improve your product. Get the “First Mover Advantage”.

Focus on Your Uniqueness:
What is your competitive advantage? What can you do better than others? If you are just another “me too” business don’t expect to survive.

Old and New Customers:
Don’t take your old customers for granted, treat them at least as well as you would treat a new one.

Price Yourself Into Success:
Don’t be greedy and be consistent with your pricing policies. Better to have half a loaf of bread than none at all.

Know What Is Going On:
Research the trends in your market, find out the changes in customer attitudes, and find out what your competitors are up to. Go on a journey of discovery, how do your customers think and behave?

Continue Developing Your Brand:
Your marketing budget is the easiest to cut. Don’t abandon the effort. Improvise by buying cheap in the market or implementing guerilla marketing techniques. Remember, you can benefit from a downturn in the ad market.

Look for Marketing Breakthroughs:
Dare to be different. Look for ways you can make your business stand out from the crowd.

Service Your Customers:
Help them solve their problems and they’ll help you solve yours.