Stay competitive in tough economic times

Transcription

1 Stay competitive in tough economic times Magdy Attalla, M.Sc. Regional Marketing Director BHMS University Centre, Switzerland

2 Objectives Tips on cutting back your marketing budget without cutting back on marketing. Tips on providing value to your clients: your survival kit! To-compete-or-not-to-compete on price.

3 Cutting back on your marketing budget without cutting back on your marketing

4 Mass marketing mentality is counterproductive Education agents, like consulting need to put advertising, branding, brochures and other traditional marketing efforts into perspective. Fifty or even less clients who understands your value can make your business thrive

5 Apply the 80/20 rule 80% of your business success can be derived from 20% of your marketing efforts. 20% of your clients will give you 80% of your business. Determine what marketing efforts to focus more on while putting the other strategies on hold.

6 The new best thing isn t always best Reusing traditional channels or reworking marketing materials, contents and images into something modern rather than doing things from scratch

7 Get your hands dirty Who created your professional Facebook page? Who is designing your targeted marketing?

8 Providing value to your clients: your survival kit

9 The tools European SMEs (1-50 Employee) need to compete (2011 Vodafone Research Report) Flexible working hours 32% The provision of a single contact number for customers 27% Mobile access ONE SINGLE to VOIC BOX 5% 22% One single voic box 5% MOBILE ACCESS TO 22% THE PROVISION OF A SINGLE CONTACT NUMBER FOR CUSTOMERS 27% FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS 32% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

10 Package your expertise Are you selling education or are you selling your expertise? Can you look at your business from your client s point of view? D0 you understand your client s challenges? Can you help your client overcome these challenges?

11 Focus on niches How many education partners you work with? Are you focused on certain niche or region? Do you recruit students to ALL your partners? Are you selecting your partners or your partners are selecting you?

12 Focus on existing customers Winning a new client is expensive times as much as the efforts to get an existing client book with you again. Incentives to existing clients are simple strategies to help generate more booking. Don t work with clients you don t like!

13 Customize your service Customizing your services make your existing clients feel special. Offer flexibility to cater to the needs of each individual client. This may result to them referring your business to their friends and other relatives.

14 To-compete-or-not-to-compete on price! Lower your prices if you can afford lowering prices Should you share your commission with your client? You need to focus on value and quality instead of lowering prices

15 Key factors delivering competitive edge for European SMEs (2011 Vodafone Research Report) The ability to provide instant response to phone and enquiries 78% A reputation for excellence 76% Having one central MARKETING point of CAMPAIGNS contact for customers 39% 71% Marketing campaigns 39% Marketing campaigns 39% HAVING Having ONE one CENTRAL central point POINT of OF contact CONTACT for FOR customers CUSTOMERS 71% 71% A reputation for excellence A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE 76% 76% The ability to provide instant response to 78% phone THE ABILITY and TO PROVIDE enquiriesinstant RESPONSE TO PHONE AND 78% ENQUIRIES 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 0% Series1 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

16 Don t miss out on any opportunity Promptness in dealing with clients. Never miss out on any client calls. Never miss out on opportunities to market or advertise your services. Passing your business card or mentioning your business to new acquaintances are simple strategies that may help generate new clients.

17 Thank You Magdy Attalla //