Front-loaded vs. Back-loaded Marketing Issues - 2 comments
Wednesday the 29th of March, 2006 | Articles | Business | Marketing |
Through the short life of Posima, I have tried many different techniques to build interest in the product. The underlying idea of marketing is to locate potential customers and convince them why your product or service is right for them. This two part problem can be front loaded or back loaded, depending on your type of business. Let me explain…
The Posima web service is aimed at a national audience of sole-proprietors, small businesses and nonprofit organizations who need a website but whose web-savvy or budget prevent them from obtaining one. For me, the problem is front-loaded. Trying to locate individuals who aren’t familiar with technology and don’t know how to scour the web for what they’re looking for has proven a difficult feat. They are looking for me as I look for them, but how do we find each other?
The back-loaded marketing problem is when you can locate your audience but can’t convert them into sales. One of my clients, Brian from Kingfish Aquariums, maintains large aquariums for homes, offices, department stores and more. It’s a lucrative business and he makes a nice living, especially for someone who has just started. Prior to switching to Posima he had a poor excuse for a website that had nothing more than pictures and contact information which didn’t generate much business. Posima helped him get his site setup professionally, display his portfolio of aquariums as well as provide a contact form for potential clients to contact him with. Now he gets roughly 7-10 new inquiries a week.
Why the sudden jump in potential clients? Brian had existing local marketing efforts in place, but his old website was so poorly done people didn’t take him seriously. His new site is a virtual brochure where people can learn about Brian’s expertise, services offered and see the types of aquariums he maintains. When the user feels comfortable enough, they can contact him with a simple, painless contact form.
Both the front and back-loaded problems are solvable, however the front-loaded problem is easier to identify. I’m aware that it’s difficult for me to find new clients whereas Brian had no idea there was a problem until the launch of his new site. Marketing and refining your marketing efforts should be an ongoing process. Just because you have a front-loaded problem doesn’t mean you should ignore the back-end. There may not be a problem, but that’s no excuse to be lazy.
You should always be on the lookout for your target demographic. In addition to your current marketing, you should be constantly testing new possible outlets. At the same time, you need to always show your customers what you have to offer by displaying as much content as you can on your website. Your website needs to be a living, ever growing organism. Always display new projects, thoughts, news, and anything else that will help your potential clients learn more about you and your business. This will not only help them feel more comfortable dealing with you, but will also allow them to label you as an “expert†in your field.
Comments
Great post! I found the lesson valuable and was interested to read the mini-case study on Kingfish Aquariums.
For a provider like Kingfish, a professional looking web site would be a real competitive advantage I imagine. High-end customers (the ones who could afford a nice salt water aquirium) probably turn to the net to find a provider and I suspect that they’d feel more at ease picking a business with a professional look.
I’d be interested in reading more case studies about your users.
Keep up the good content.
Thanks, as I gain more clients and learn about them I’ll be able to do this type of post more often. I do agree with you, the website was a major marketing leap forward for him.