Marketing Mistakes Professional Service Providers Make

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Common Marketing Mistakes Professional

Service Providers Make

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Who is this lady?

• Promise marketer• 15+ yr. professional

What is Clear Verve?• Promise marketing firm• Outsourced marketing dept.

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Common Mistakes

• Dismiss Marketing• Inconsistency• Non-distinctive• Too formal• Afraid to try new things• Being overly aggressive in PR situations

Dismiss Marketing

Marketing doesn’t matter!

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I don’t need a logo!

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People judge things they can’t understand based upon things they can understand.

Startup’s false sense of security

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At first, everyone you know helps you, but then what?

I can do it myself!

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Inconsistency

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You will get too busy to both market and do your client work.

Something will have to give.

Non-distinctive

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What would [insert competitor name here] do?

Too formal

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It is important for your prospect to WANT to keep reading or listening

Afraid to try something new

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Nobody else has done it

No guarantees it will work

It makes me uncomfortable

Turning PR into Advertising

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What is PR?• Ongoing activities to

shape company image with the public and help public understand the company and its services.

• Unpaid media exposure

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PR Advantages• Free• Comes with the

credibility of the publication

• Positions you as an expert

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PR Disadvantages

• You can’t control what is said

• You have to work at it• You have to be available on

their terms, when they need you

• You have to be more interesting than other events

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What makes a great story

• Problem• Solution• Example• Trend• Your competition

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How to get coverage

• Press Release• Pitch Letters• Phone pitch

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Anatomy of a Pitch letter

• Addressed specifically to right person• Gets to the point quickly• Explains why you think story is good for

them• Explains enough of the story to be

interesting, but not enough to write it• Short & sweet

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Pitching by phone• Know when the reporter is on deadline• Write your pitch down• Be sure to call the right person• Ask “Do you have a minute”• Be ready with alternative

Questions?

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Contact Information

Clear Verve Marketing, LLC13309 Watertown Plank Road

Elm Grove, WI 53122262-796-9001