Often marketing is something only focused on once or twice a year. You may be buying media today, running online listings on Web sites your prospects frequent. You may even be using Google AdWords and some limited print.

But so is your competition.

How are you going to stand apart? Increasing your spending may not be an option with tightening margins and flat or lower sales. So how can you get prospects to notice you?

Over the past two years we have been asked by many companies what they can do to improve their marketing results. Budgets are tight and employees often have time on their hands due to decreased workloads or seasonality.

In June 2009 we began developing strategies companies can implement with their teams to build their businesses. During the process it became clear that, in order to control spending, the focus would need to be on non-media driven strategies. Further discussion led us to the term “Attraction Marketing.”

What is Attraction Marketing?

Attraction Marketing is the process of making your company, its products, services and culture more attractive to prospects by driving marketing initiatives with the people you already employ. In short, it means improving your attractiveness to your prospects and to the marketplace.

Personally, we all want to be seen as attractive, be respected, admired and relevant. Similarly, Attraction Marketing addresses topics that can help create these perceptions for businesses.

Some of the strategies will be familiar to you, though we hope to get you to think about them a little differently. Some of the tactics you may already be doing, and that’s great. Hopefully we can show you how these things are connected and can build on each other.

Stevens & Tate Marketing has been the test group for Attraction Marketing for 12 months. At first there were eight strategies, each with a champion to drive it. During the year we have narrowed it down to six strategies:

All dressed up
Make a great first impression by keeping your Web site content relevant for your prospects dealing with today’s economy.

Show up in style
Improve your tradeshow and association events results by setting goals and adding preplanning to every show and event.

Be impressive
Increase your position as a thought leader in your industry, specifically through feature articles, public relations and public speaking.

Become a socialite
Adding social marketing to your marketing mix gives customers and prospects the opportunity to share ideas and interact.

Lend a hand
Leverage pro bono work to its maximum potential for improving your culture, offering your team meaningful work and building deep relationships with industry leaders.

Stay top of mind
Capitalize on your database through mail and e-mail to keep prospects in touch with your thinking beyond your salespeople’s reach.

The marketing march

We will also introduce you to the marketing march, a process to manage the six strategies and their champions. With this process you, as the leader, will be able to spend minimal time yet stay in complete control of the evolution and direction of your version of Attraction Marketing.

We are confident that if you implement an initiative that builds your exposure year-round, you will see positive results. Over the next several months we will take you through each strategy in detail so you and your team can become more attractive.

Related Posts:

• Victoria’s Secret on Marketing
• Attraction Marketing II: The Marketing March
• What Technology Has Done to Commercials
• Pandering Your Way To Profits? Most Likely Not.
• Relevant Content Drives Business Value

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