You’ve survived the initial plunge of entering the market; now you’ve established yourself and need to take the right steps to get to the next level. Questions you may be asking include:

1. How do our customers and our target market(s) currently perceive us?
2. Is our customer base/current target market(s) large enough?
3. How do we increase our market share in our current target market(s)?
4. Is there an opportunity to expand our market(s) and/or coverage?

You might be ready to increase your operations; however, you’re still lean on staff and very lean on time, which doesn’t give you the breathing space or the perspective to be able to adequately plan out or implement the marketing and attention around that expansion.

Though you may not be ready to commit to in-house, full-time marketing and communications staff, or you are one marketing person in the organization who needs more hands to get the job done, let AboutFace Marketing be your virtual marketing department! We can provide individual or a full package of strategic and tactical services to help you get the job done, and help to get you where you need:

• Market research and competitive analysis

Does the market see you and your product or service in the way you expect them? Are they satisfied with what they’re getting, not just from you, but your competitors? What do you offer that makes you stand out from the crowd, or, even more important, what don’t you offer that you would need to make you stand out from the crowd? Are you targeting the right decision-makers to increase the sales of your product or service?

These are all valid – and very important – questions that are often asked by management in a business such as yours. We can a variety of different types of research for you to get the answers and provide recommendations –  whether through reviewing and consolidating the information from multiple industry reports, holding a focus group to ask your customers and prospects directly, or somewhere in between.

• Market strategy and implementation

In the world of business, one of most self-defeating and least effective approaches to marketing is the “tactic in search of a strategy,” which actually happens more often than not. This tends to occur as a result of someone seeing a certain marketing approach to a product or service at a different company and saying, “Hey, that’s neat! We should do that!” – all without considering whether that approach is appropriate and effective for their product, service, and/or industry.

Would you like to put together a comprehensive market strategy and marketing plan at this stage of the game? Now that you feel a little more established, are you ready to increase market share by making a big splash in your industry? We can look at the full picture and provide you with a creative, out-of-the-box plan that will be solid and effective – yet cost-efficient to adhere to your budget.

• Market expansion

Are you ready to expand into a new market, geography, or product or service line? We can help you with a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to look at the big picture and develop a marketing strategy on how to conquer that expansion.
• Direct marketing and promotional campaigns

Key to any business, regardless of its size, is promotion and visibility – if the target customers don’t know you exist, how can they find you? We can help you to create an effective campaign, including any/all of the following: e-mail; Website search engine optimization, link, and social networking strategy; advertising (both print and electronic); events; public relations; relevant listings; and anything else you might imagine.
• Company, product, and service branding

What do you want your company, product, and/or service to represent to its target market(s)? Have you expanded your capabilities (whether through product enhancements/additions or a merger or acquisition), and feel that your “old” brand has now become outdated or or irrelevant? There’s more to a name and logo than meets the eye! It’s really the meaning behind the face of the company – or the brand – that you create with any representation you make to your customers and prospects. We have extensive experience in naming, renaming (such as in a merger) and evolving that vision in a way that will help you stand out from the crowd.
• Website creation/enhancement and design

Just because almost anyone can put up a Website today – thanks to simple templates offered by most hosting packages – it doesn’t mean that everyone has the skill to accurately represent the brand they want to create. Today, a Website has become a large part of the “face” of any company, no matter how large or small, and therefore is very important in terms of how accurately that is conveyed. Using best practices in readability and usability, we can take a look at what you have (or we can start from scratch, if you don’t already have a Website), get you started or create your next version, from the site’s graphic design and layout to content development, adding online shopping capabilities, search engine optimization and marketing, and traffic analysis.
• Blogs and social networking strategy

Have you heard the terms “Web 2.0,” “blogging,” “social internet,” “wiki,” “message boards,” and “social networking sites,” but don’t know if they apply to you and your business? We can take a look at your business, your product(s), and/or your services(s), look at your industry, the competitive landscape, and determine if and what would be a good social networking strategy for you, as well as what tactical approach to take – plus, we can help you with the implementation, as well.
• Product packaging

Do you need to create or evolve the look-and-feel for the packaging of a product or service? Our fresh perspective can provide the creativity you need to consider and develop your options while fitting the requirements you need operationally.
• Event and tradeshow management and logistics

One of the biggest challenges in any business is the time-consuming task of planning and implementing an event or tradeshow, regardless of the size and number of attendees. We can help you plan and manage all of the details for your event to make it something your target market(s) will remember, and can manage the endless amount of details involved, including venue research and negotiation; creation of media partnerships for events; celebrity event participation and recruitment; sponsorship feasibility and recruitment; virtual meetings and presentations; event management, logistics, and promotion; tradeshow booth development; and banner/graphics development.
• Interactive marketing

Today’s world of interactivity makes marketing more exciting while addressing the short attention spans and high demands of our society. Our marketing strategy naturally involves interactive marketing strategy and tactics to make your efforts more relative and most efficient, including Webcasts, Webconferences, blogs, multimedia presentations, electronic newsletters, and online tool development.
• Copywriting and design

Do you need to create a brochure, flyer, direct mail/e-mail piece, letterhead, business card, advertisement, blog, news release, or anything related? We can write and/or design it for you quickly and economically!
• Promotional item

Do you need to put your business name on a shirt, pen, sports container, hat, or paper machéduck? We can provide you with out-of-the-box ideas that fit your budget, as well as some classy and high-end items that you may use for employee or client gifts.
• Public relations

Do you need some visibility with the media but don’t have the time or staff to dedicate to the effort? Some of the most efficient and cost-effective – yet time-consuming – efforts to reach your target and relevant market(s) are via the strategic use of public relations. We can be an extension to your staff that can take the time to write and submit news releases to relevant publications and Websites, pitch for article placement in relevant trade journals, and work to gain media coverage for your company events.
• Corporate and internal communication

Sometimes you may need the objective, outside perspective of a third party to create and present the facts in a compelling yet acceptable and comprehensible way. We can assist you with your many corporate and internal communications, including Intranet layout, design, and implementation; media training; crisis management; press conferences and media events; and message strategy and development.
• Marketing staffing and development consultation

In our past lives in the corporate world, we’ve had to build, rebuild, and reorganize internal marketing departments of our own, so we know what tends to work and what doesn’t. Every company in every industry has different needs, and we can provide you with the professional counsel you need to create and build the best internal marketing department for you. We can provide you with job titles, position responsibilities, recommended pay levels in this area, and other logistics that can help you decide on the direction you want to take.