Marketing Your Company in the Business World
by Tracey Porpora

Secrets to a great marketing campaign that don't have to cost a lot of green.

Technology entrepreneurs need to devise solid marketing plans that will help ensure their success in the business world. And a good plan is often one that employs smart direct marketing and public relations initiatives.

The New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) seminar, "Guerilla Marketing on a Shoestring Budget," held last month at Middlesex Community College, addressed the strategies behind a successful, low-cost marketing plan.

"You have to be on top of the trends, you've got to be right there with the customer and you have to be passionate about what you do," said Katherine Kish, director of marketing for Cognetics, a user interface solutions company in Princeton Junction. Part of a company's strategic marketing plan should be selling its merits to its clients. One way to do this is through direct marketing, which can include traditional mailings or electronic correspondence.

Dan Regan, marketing director for Princeton Partners, a fully-integrated marketing communications company, said one of the keys to successful direct marketing tactics is to maintain a database of updated client lists. In developing a database, a successful direct marketer will research a company's history, size and target industries, said Regan. In addition, direct marketers need to network, maintain a website with a guest book and be a keen observer, he said. "You need to have a plan and make sure you have regular mailings to your clients.

The rule of seven says people need to see your message an average of seven times before it registers and before they begin working with you," said Regan. Other tricks of the direct marketing trade include putting teasers on envelopes or "provocative subject lines" in eMails to get clients' attention. "They need a reason to read it, he said. Good direct marketers will also effectively communicate to the client "what is in it for them," he said. "You need an offer. You need to be active. You need to be able to say what it is that you want them to do," said Regan, noting that it's better to have a short list with multiple mailings, rather than a long list with few communications. "Send something of value. Make it memorable. Also, keep it simple. With each communication you send out get to one specific offer," he added.

In addition to a direct marketing strategy, companies need to develop good public relations practices and foster relationships with the press, said Dom Cilea, president of Springboard Communications, a Marlboro-based marketing and public relations firm offering services specifically to high-tech companies. He maintains that good public relations requires a lot of preparation and time.

"To be successful you need to try to build a relationship with writers," he said. "You also need to try to be a resource to the writer. You need to be timely and you don't want to inundate users with useless information." It's important to have a "steady stream of announcements," where you publish at least two press releases per month, added Cilea. Like direct marketers, public relations experts need to maintain a database of contacts and develop a professional rapport with the press. "Often you will get 80 percent of your media coverage from 20 percent of your list," said Cilea.

He also warned technology entrepreneurs to only send out press releases that are "newsworthy," to distribute information in a timely fashion and to have a unified company message in press material. "Keep press releases THIN - timely, honest, informative and newsworthy," he said. Cilea recommends that companies directly target publications that would be interested in writing about its clients. He noted that it's also important to seek out the appropriate contact at each media outlet.

"The key to public relations is in investments. It's not something you can turn on and off. You need to spend the time to make it work," said Cilea.