It is not Marketing/Sales, it is Marketing and Sales. In one week, two things happened that spurred me into sharing that marketing and sales are in fact two separate functions. That work together.

Marketing and Sales, Thing One

A former client who is a successful business owner shared at a recent weekly team meeting, that his team discussed the need for a marketing strategy and a stronger brand presence. The salesperson on the team was pushing hard for additional marketing resources. And he wanted to lead the charge. They “went back and forth about the where, how and the value of a stronger brand presence.”

The business owner was skeptical because he had grown his business traditionally from word of mouth. (Clearly too much time had passed since we worked together.)

He continued his story to me, “Front Porch Marketing was the first marketing resource I thought of to visit with and have a clearer picture of what needs to be done and in which priority.” For that, we are honored.

Marketing and Sales, Thing Two.

I attended a networking group event. The speaker was a small business consultant who shared ways for business owners to increase revenue and improve profitability, among other things. The presentation was great until we got to the slide that included the line, “Marketing/Sales.”

I thought “It is not Marketing/Sales.” They are not the same thing. They are not to be lumped together. These are two very distinct functions that both contribute to growing a business.

Why You Need Marketing

Marketing is no longer just an option for small businesses and nonprofits who want to grow. I am happy to share one-on-one my experiences over the last two years on this. Occasional marketing effort does not make your business grow. A marketing foundation must be built, strategized and utilized. You need consistency, conviction, and connection for marketing to succeed. These three things are must-haves when you’re marketing your business in the year 2024.

How Sales is Different From Marketing

Sales people and departments are responsible for generating new leads, converting those leads and closing deals. Sales leaders look at the ideal target customer or client and the product or service they are selling, and make a match.

First, there are inside sales: looking at existing customers and how they can grow their business. These sales people are also converting inbound calls and emails to direct business.

Then there are outside sales. This team’s approach focuses on face-to-face interaction with potential customers. They do this by attending targeted conferences and events. Building their network and relationships is the goal.

How Marketing and Sales Teams Can Work Together

At Front Porch Marketing, we sometimes work directly with sales leaders. Again, for that we are honored and grateful. Sales people overall have a defined pipeline, and may rely on the marketing people to feed that pipeline. These sales leaders know they need marketing. They do suggest initiatives to support their agendas. But most share what they are trying to achieve and trust that we will strategize and implement what is right for business growth.

We also work with smart, small business owners and nonprofit leaders, who believe they need to elevate their brand and grow brand awareness to grow their toplines. That’s marketing. Few of these types of companies have an in-house marketing team though. They may have a person or two in marketing, but even this small crew cannot manage or specialize in all the marketing things they might need. And that’s where we typically come in.

I could go on and on about the difference in marketing and sales functions. But alas, I must get up bright and early to French braid an 11-year old’s hair for school. So cheers to all of you marketing people and sales people growing the top and bottom lines, working with those you love, for those you love. All the while, taking care of your loves. Like we do.

When marketing, sales and ops work together, whether in fundraising or in the corporate world, usually there is a tale of witches, goblins, vampires and more. This year’s HOCO Mums sales at one local high school were a ghost of a different color. When marketing, sales and ops worked together, it became a success worthy of a marketing case study.

Homecoming Mums are a long-standing Texas tradition. If you are not familiar, read more here on the fall tradition and why Texans do it.

Recently one mom said that at her high school this year, mum sales were down. Not the case at this local high school. Insert the mummy marketing case study.

Historically mum sales were flat, and in fact, declined in 2016. In 2017, the Chair of the Homecoming Mum initiative was determined to buck the trend. She instituted digital operational systems for tracking inventory and orders that had never been done before. In addition, her incoming Chair, one that has a working role two years before the Chair-ship, developed a project and communications timeline. Sales that year increased by 15%.

The 2018 Mum sales are tracking at an increase of 14% over previous year and still growing.

What happened differently to make this a marketing case history?

Mummy Marketing Case Study

The implemented plan integrated a sales plan, an operational plan and marketing plan.

The operations developed over the previous year were enhanced even further. There was now at least one year’s history in which to reference. Inventory could be managed tighter which lowered cost and waste.

A sales strategy developed the previous year due to unforeseen circumstances was replicated. We could tell you what it was, but then we would have to send the headless horseman after you.

The marketing strategy, plan and execution was further enhance and defined and included:

• Signage – At the front of carpool every morning for three mornings before the sales deadline was highly visible at the school.
• Social media – A targeted campaign was executed with professionally designed messages and graphics. Content was posted on a consistent basis with relevant messaging.
• School communication – Blurbs in the weekly parent email communication vehicle were increased.

We are proud of this marketing case study that resulted in more dollars raised for the school’s athletic program. Want to learn more? We would love to help your non-profit organization. We are passionate about increasing fundraising efforts. Call us.

Isn’t it hard to believe that Q1 is already in books? Nevertheless, the time has come to analyze topline sales for the first quarter of 2018.

Why is this analysis so important, you ask? Demonstrating the value of your marketing and sales efforts by evaluating ROI is paramount for our client partners. And for our own business as well!

Take a look at these four things If your topline sales weren’t what you anticipated:

1. Were your marketing efforts consistent? Think consistency in creative, messaging and delivery. All are important, together with frequency, which is critical as well.
2. Are you proactively managing and following up on your sales leads? This oversight can be accomplished in a few ways, depending on resources (time, money, people, etc.). Something as elementary as an Excel workbook can be updated daily and analyzed weekly. Some of our clients chose other management tools, such as Hubspot, Pipedrive and Zoho. Maximize technology if it makes your business (and you!) more efficient and more profitable.
3. Are you communicating clearly with your internal audiences, and are they on board? Starting from the inside out is critical to the success of any strategy. Conviction is key. Make sure you have your internal champions. The team must understand the “why” and articulate strategy, initiatives and messages clearly. At every touch point.
4. Are your initiatives relevant and persuasive to your target audiences? Make sure you are connecting with your prospective and current clients and customers. Create an emotional connection. Be relevant. People will be predisposed to your brand and business if they are made to feel something.

Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

If your topline sales aren’t where they need to be, then let’s take a look at the possible reasons. We are here to help.

Peace. Out. And most importantly, rock on!

As I skim materials for my upcoming Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Marketing and Sales class, my mind wanders (Hey, a squirrel! Or is it procrastination, perhaps?). I must blog. Now.

This post builds on my colleague Jacqui Chappell’s last blog on differentiating against competition. She is known as being the writer extraordinaire on the Porch, so I do not want to disappoint as I follow a post from her! So just read this blog for content and nuggets of marketing and sales knowledge. Puhleeeease!!

There is no one size fits all marketing and sales strategy. And this post does not suggest it, either. Period.

However, as I stare at a document asking me to define “current and aspirational competitors and their market share,” I realize Front Porch Marketing has a million and one competitors. I do not watch them daily, nor do I care if they are watching us.

I was asked recently by a client if they should list names of their clients on their website, collateral materials, etc. My answer: Heeeelllll, yes! If you are doing your job well, then no competitor can cold call your client list and take them away from you.

Doing your job well is obviously the first way to weed out your competitors.

Here are five more:

1. Define your brand. Know your pillars.
2. Communicate your brand consistently inside and out. If you look like every other company in your category, you are not doing this, nor is your brand defined.
3. Look outside your industry. Take key learnings from strong or unique brands in other spaces and consider how you can use them to help your brand.
4. Talk to your clients / customers. Ask them why they selected your company or product over others? What didn’t they get from their last partner or other product?
5. Ask yourself if who you consider your main competition is really that. Speaking to two business owners independently recently, they named each other as direct / primary competition. The more we learned about said businesses, the more we found them to be great complements to each other’s concepts and thought of more than a dozen ways they could leverage each other to grow their businesses. (Maybe if they use our ideas, they will let us blog about them specifically in the future.)

Identifying and evaluating your competition is an important exercise, there is no doubt. But it’s a delicate balance. Knowing they are there keeps you on your toes, pushes you to do your best work, and provides occasional inspiration. But ultimately, what will differentiate you from your competitors is your brand, the work that you do, and the way that you do it.

So rock your brand, rock your work and rock your competitors! TTFN!

Trade show marketing rocks. I sometimes forget how much until we get in the throes of one with a client, which is happening for us at the pace of about four to five a year.

This is something I have been honored to do since I was right out college, and I have definitely learned a lesson or two along the way. Thankfully, however, we at Front Porch Marketing have a team of people who can do trade show marketing better than me.

And, a few things have changed over a few, okay, over the (cough cough) years. There’s now an app for this and a portable device for that, all of which enhance trade show marketing, sales initiatives, and the visitor experience, which is fab.

Typically, we have months to plan and execute on our clients’ trade show marketing fun … but recently we may have just pulled off a holiday marketing miracle on The Porch over the last seven days (hence the bags under my eyes). Story about the 2016 POWER-GEN International in Orlando, Florida, happening now, is for another bloggity-blog day.

Key Trade Show Marketing Takeaways

So, what can you learn from our Flashdance that has happened over the last week? Here are four things:

Market early and often. The earlier you can develop your strategy, plan and campaigns and start rockin’ and rollin’, the better. There are many other exhibitors, etc., vying for the attention of the speakers and attendees.

If you can’t market early, it can still happen. We have proved almost anything can happen with a rockin’ marketing partner alongside you, but getting there isn’t the prettiest and sure isn’t the cheapest.

Use multiple channels. Send emails. Advertise. Maximize the show’s online and traditional opportunities. Develop a micro-site, website banners and collateral materials. Write blogs. Develop press releases and put them on the wire. Send MORE emails.

Keep it light. Keep it bright. Especially during this time of year and on this of all years, keep it light and bright. Inside and out. We all want a break from seriousness. Holidays can be a stressful time, and moving at light speed may cause a few, tiny bumps along the way.

If you need to get your trade show marketing or any other branding or marketing on the go, holla! We are here and happy to get your strategies, plans and campaigns into high gear and pay attention to how your target responds.

Asta pastas! Going to check in with the folks in the Sunshine state on today’s POWER-GEN International happs.

That’s all she wrote.

Everybody remembers the “make a wish” tale – you must choose wisely, as you only get three wishes, and the wishes must all be considered wisely. From this tale, we learn that we must be careful what we ask for.

I like to ask questions. Maybe too many, but questions always provide answers..unless you ask the wrong question. Have you ever asked the wrong question? Yes. You. Have. I have too!

Get it right! Ask the right question.

Good question asking is a skill and can be applied to all relationships – spouse, children, employee, employer, friends, customers, etc. The applications are endless. Every question can deepen our understanding of a topic or person. There is no such thing as a stupid question, but there are ways to ask a question that are better than others.

Here are some examples:

• Q: How was your day? A: good, bad, great, awesome, etc. This closed-ended question doesn’t really give you much, so follow up with what made your day _______? Now we are getting somewhere! Tip: Dig deeper with follow-up questions. Follow general questions with specific ones. 
• Q: How are sales? A: Great they have doubled! This general question can elicit an answer that can be misleading – sales doubled from what? Better question: How are your sales compared to this same timeframe last year? Tip: Make sure to ask for context and reference to give the answer meaning.
• Have you ever been asked if you want “anything else?” I hate this question. The answer is, of course I do, I have a long list of else, but you don’t sell them here. Another egregious offender: Did you find everything ok? Tip: Specific questions will garner more insight. Try to avoid yes or no questions unless they are truly satisfying a simple purpose.
• Recently my husband called me and informed me that he grounded the kids. I asked, “What does grounding mean in our house?” We figured out our definition of grounding because of an open-ended question. Tip: Have a purpose for asking and a desire to know the answer. Every question you ask should help you gather either facts or elicit an opinion. Know which kind of information you need and frame your questions accordingly.
• What if someone asked you if it was it sunny on the day you were born? I don’t know if it was sunny when I was born – does it matter? I can’t think of one thing someone would do with this information. Tip: Ask questions only if the information elicited is necessary. If you don’t really need the answer, don’t ask the question. Be respectful of people’s time and attention. Answer this – what will you do with the answer?

We ask questions because that is the way we improve, learn, connect and tell stories. Ask away, friends!

“Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” ~ Tony Robbins

I _______ summer!

Jumping into summer!

If you have children … there are two clearly defined summer camps. Working parents either love it or loathe it. ‘Tis the season for sleepaway camp, trips and being our kids social directors. You have sleepovers and playdates. Camps and sports. Staying connected to friends (as important as family time). Relaxed routines. The list goes on. We on the Porch have watched and listened to these two groups …

From the LOVE camp we saw lots of pictures, “100 activities to do this summer” lists, happy emoticons and summer forever, summer needs a speeding ticket and summer lovin’ taglines. I LOVE SUMMER.

From the maybe not so much love camp, the conversation was about sibling squabbles, last minute requests for supervision, open letters and sarcasm – Worst-end-of-summer; Enjoyable Summer Sarcasm.

The common thread between the two camps was that they had a plan. A SUMMER plan! Where the kids would be and when, who was watching them, vacations and a screen time system.

If you own a local business … again there have been two definite camps this summer. You have either thrived or you have suffered from the dreaded North Texas summer sales slump. If sales were swinging – congrats! If they were slow, perhaps there is something you can learn from Summer Mom. Have a plan. This can include anything from a summer sale to a special event, new product introduction or staffing change. Once you have it – rock it and chill!

Successful summer promotion from our favorite GEMs

The Porch rocked our brands this summer, but we were watching others. We saw some interesting approaches, which ran the gamut from closing the doors to aggressive promotions to strategic affiliations. There’s no escaping that the kids will be at home and families will travel during the summer months, so a dedicated summer marketing plan is always a rockin’ idea.

As for me, sign me up in the I LOVE summer column! I also LOVE fall. They are all my favorites.