Marketing is a critical part of every business, yet successfully promoting a business can be tricky. Below is a list of questions and answers with a marketing expert that explore marketing concepts. Donna has started multiple marketing businesses and has a wealth of knowledge to share.
1. What is your general job description?
I currently own two marketing businesses. Symphony Concepts provides marketing research and innovation to companies. They also provide programming to the resort development industry. Heartbeat Marketing provides sales and marketing consultants to companies and is a service provider for Symphony Concepts.
2. What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Everything has changed in resort development as in many industries. The most challenging aspects include:
• Keeping up with emerging trends and multiple markets
• Keeping up with new marketing tools
• Understanding target markets and trends
• Understanding demographic and psychographic shifts
3. What is the most common misperception people have about marketing?
People think marketing is just advertising.
4. What are your tips for creating a successful marketing plan?
It depends on the audience. It is important to do your “homework” before meeting with a client. You must understand the market and the consumer and do lots of market research. I usually gather all of the information and have all of the representatives get together to review material and develop a marketing plan.
5. What is the most important piece of marketing advice you would give a new business owner?
Always:
• Set marketing goals and objectives and write them down.
• Create a marketing strategy and use marketing tools.
• Understand what is needed and know trends.
• Be open-minded to expand possibilities.
6. What is the biggest marketing mistake made by new business owners?
• Business owners know the “What” and “How” but never the “Why”. Understanding the “Why” taps the part of the brain that motivates decision making.
• Business owners do damage to the brand if they start something and abandon it. When you start something, you need to keep it up and give it appropriate time and attention.
7. Why is right now a good time to increase marketing efforts?
Businesses should always be marketing. The world is changing and marketing is positioning!
Focus on every marketing interaction through:
• Marketing message
• Tools used to market
• Word of mouth – Marketing happens all the time
• Context – How do you create context through connecting with people
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