Marketing goodwill is crucial

Effective marketing of your company’s products or services is an unquestionable must. Whether you are a major corporation or a very small business, you need to market.

What exactly is marketing? It is more than just a way to better sell your products or services. It is a complete method of maximizing your company’s exposure and increasing good will to potential customers. It is making your customers not only aware of who you are, but also liking who you are. It is convincing them you have an excellent product or service and backing it up.

If your marketing skills could use some extra punch, try adding some of the following ideas to take your skills from good to great.

■ Join a professional or trade association. Become involved in your community. This is a great way to make contacts and a list of possible customers. It helps to vary the types of associations you join. That way, you not only interact with peers, but also mix with potential customers in other lines of services or products.

When you join associations you often share leads, training ideas, marketing pointers and ideas. Joining community organizations will give you an opportunity to mix with a more diverse group of people and thus find a larger scope of potential customers.

■ Network, network, network. Enough cannot be said about the power of networking. Tell everyone you speak to what type of business you are in. People would rather do business with someone they know than someone they do not know. When working with a known contact, they will feel as if they are receiving special treatment.

Besides introducing yourself, find out what the people you are talking to do as well. If possible use their services so they can get to know you better. You are not only building future customers, but also are developing friendships.

■ Be liberal with your business cards. If your cards are embossed in gold and reserved only for special occasions, you need to order a more conservative card. Give your cards to everyone. Include them in all your correspondences. Ask for cards from others. This may seem like a trivial thing, but if done on a daily basis it will net big results.

■ Send out thank you notes. It is a form of courtesy that is all too often forgotten. It leaves a lasting impression of you as a considerate person. There are many reasons to send out thank you notes, such as when someone has been especially helpful or if they have given you their time. Make sure you send your notes on company stationary, which will bring your company name to their attention.

If you use these marketing ideas to enhance your current marketing plan, you will benefit your company and your own image. Your customer and potential customer list will grow and grow. You will not only make more people aware of who you are and what your company stands for, but you will also have them liking who you are as well.