Enterprise Nation

Barry Walker is the founder of BlackChilli PR. He’s been in the PR business for more than 20 years and has some words of wisdom to offer on the topic of raising your profile and increasing market share. He sharpens his pencil and jots a few lines. 

Barry Rules

Here are some rules from Barry that will help you on your PR voyage.

Planning is paramount

In scuba diving, there is a saying – ‘Plan The Dive – Dive The Plan’. If you do this nothing can go wrong. Write a simple business and marketing plan. This may even be a 'back of a postcard' scribble that says "make 10 new cold calls each week". Once you have done this, stick to it and keep sticking to it. Write down all the things you can do to market your business and form a monthly strategy. Look at the strategy each month and if you can improve on it do so, especially as increased sales will give you a bigger marketing budget. These serve as a guide and should be reviewed on a regular basis as markets change. Be adaptable to market trends, be prepared to be flexible and certainly be inventive. This doesn’t mean you have to be reckless, just structured and firm.

Don’t cut your marketing budget

A marketing initiative is like a snowball; hard to get going, but builds momentum the more you roll it. It is well documented that brands that increase their marketing in a soft market when competitors are cutting back can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times. As consumer purchasing declines, the consumer will purchase prominent brands. Are you a prominent brand? If not, you must become one. Moreover, your investment in your marketing has a value, as you have been investing in the budget for many years. Stop suddenly, and the thousands of pounds are wasted.

Wave The Flag

Get in the press and get in now! Wave that flag. Media relations and special events are essential tools. Intensify your media relations with article ideas tailored specifically for your target audience and the readers of key publications. Editorial is far more powerful than advertising, and a lot cheaper. Identify specific journalists or editors to receive your information and find out if they prefer releases via fax, e-mail or standard mail. After sending your initial information, follow up with phone calls and a polished press kit.

CRM is a vital tool

If you haven’t got one, invest in a database package that is capable of running a customer relationship marketing programme (CRM). By listening carefully to your customers you'll gain insight into what they want most and how you can provide it. Ask prospects where they learned about your company and use contact-management software to record all the information you receive.

Don't be a stranger

Keep in touch with your clients, prospects and lapsed purchasers. Remind people that you are still around and open for business. E-mail newsletters are cheap, cost-effective, efficient and very powerful. Printed newsletters are also excellent, but more expensive to produce and mail. Plan to send out a client focused communication on a monthly basis with a host of messages. For example: tips, deals, bargains, added value, stock clearance, incentives, news of your business, new clients, etc. Keep in touch – always.

To get in touch with Barry, call the ChilliPhone number 0870 850 6158 or visit his website.

• Black Chilli