MEC

Empowerment

Assessment

The Initial Assessment

7. Marketing

Once internal operations are observed, it becomes necessary to assess all aspects of how a company is presented to the potential customer in the marketplace. While many businesses focus on the profitable production and even superior quality of thier offerings, they may not realize that substantial improvements can be made in thier Marketing which will enhance the volume of sales, recurring sales, customer satisfaction and perceived value. MEC evaluates every area of your company's marketing, advertising and positioning, to identify any negative marketing devices, to approve the elements which are right on target, and to suggest enhancements which might substantially improve results. Some of the areas evaluated in The Initial Assessment may include, but are not limited to:

  • Current Target Markets
    • Their needs, desires, and mindsets
    • How best reached
    • Perceived value of company's products / services
    • Size of market and competition
    • Available venues of marketing to reach them
    • What has worked, and what has not
  • Company's corporate image
    • Logo and company colors
    • Desired market position
    • Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and slogans
    • Stationery, business cards and corporate communications vehicles
    • General company collateral
    • Investor presentations
  • Advertising / Lead generation
    • Strategies (branding? direct response? etc.)
    • Media selection
    • Trade show presence
    • Focus group testing
    • Psychological impressions of advertising
    • Benefits promised and memorability
    • Effectiveness, results tracking, reporting
    • Agency effectiveness
  • Lead Follow-Up / Sales Process
    • Product packaging
    • Point-of-purchase displays and signage
    • Website(s) and sales collateral
    • Sales personnel
    • Lead fielding and closing procedures
    • After-sale follow-up and customer satisfaction assurance
    • Back-end client base utilization and word-of-mouth recommendation incentives
  • Product User Interface
    • Ease of set-up / installation
    • Training materials / support services
    • Ease of use / user friendliness
    • Aesthetics
    • Intuitive navigation
    • Documentation / Instructions
    • Comparison to competition
  • New potential target markets
  • Specific clients : differences between past, present and potential
  • Client's impressions, suggestions
  • Who didn't buy and why
  • Marketing problems already known
  • Management ideas for improvement
  • New marketing ideas

Assessment - Overview

The Initial Assessment

1. The Client Dialogue
2. The Management Dialogue
3. Technology Evaluation
4. The Financials
5. Contracts Review
6. Operations & Profitability
7. Marketing
8. Industry Relations
9. Investment Strategies
10. The Report

Optimization

NEXT: Industry Relations