Welcome to the Back 2 Basics Marketing kitchen, where each day our chefs are creating new culinary delights for clients in order to entice ever-increasing numbers of consumers to partake of their offerings. We masterfully make use of 10 mainstays in just the right amounts in order to whip up our marketing success recipe that will effectively utilize your marketing budget.

This week, we’d like to share with you the first five “ingredients” or directions that are vital to a successful outcome:

1. Stir the pot– It’s important to mix things up!  You don't want to just market to your existing customers, and you don’t want to only focus on new clients.  Stir things up by marketing to everyone and marketing everywhere!
2. Tools– In a marketing kitchen there are tools that are indispensable, just like there are in a restaurant kitchen.  Make sure you are utilizing all your marketing tools effectively, especially if you are a small business. Some tools that should be considered include: direct mail, voicemail, brochures, press releases, referrals, a well-designed Website, e-newsletters, and interviews.
3. Preparation– Every good chef takes time to prep his kitchen before starting to cook.  Part of the B2B marketing recipe requires preparation in order to cook up an effective marketing campaign.  Before you start marketing your company, think to yourself… “How do I express my company’s mission, purpose, and areas of success to a potential client?” In order to achieve what you want, what you dream about and desire, you need to PREPARE yourself to attract your goals and objectives.
4. Always adjust the seasoning– Do you ever taste a dish before serving it to determine the need for herbs and spices or other ingredients?  After creating a project, product or service, always take a “taste” to see what can be done to spice it up or make it stand out more. There are always ways to improve upon a good product or service by throwing in a pinch of this or a dash of that to make it more appetizing for your target market.  Devising successful marketing strategies with added spice is a key ingredient.
5. Offer a la carte options– Consumers will not always want an entire meal; sometimes they prefer to look at the a la carte menu. The same thing applies in marketing.  Not every client is the same.  Some clients just want one product at a time, rather than a dozen, and vice versa.  Offer options; be willing to cater your services and products to your customers’ wants and needs.  We can then help you market to appeal to those preferences.