This time the author recommends getting the best out of the marketing department of a company, which is the core of sales and represents the success of the company. By Adhir Uzcategui*
The activities of a security company are intimately linked to each other. One of these activities is marketing. This sector is fundamental. If there are no sales, mastering other management techniques is of little use.
The Internet is a tool for the electronic security industry that contributes to and facilitates marketing. Hardly a day goes by without some publication, radio or television program mentioning the Internet. This is a new means of communication that connects millions of people around the world through their computers, no matter where they are on the planet, and at virtually negligible costs.
Since always, creating a market, selling products and services is one of the problems of the world since a fluidity of purchases and sales makes possible the circulation of money, thus creating purchasing power.
Since some aspects of marketing are debatable, write down any principles or ideas you disagree with and let us know your feedback.
Within the marketing activities of our industry we find the following:
1. Market research or activities aimed at obtaining information about the market: It is necessary to find out facts and concrete data about the market, in order to base decisions on reality and not on opinions and assumptions. Thanks to the Internet, this activity has been facilitated by: (a) Surfing the Web and visiting competing websites; b) Exchange ideas and establish individual or group communications through email.
2. Product planning: It is essential to keep in mind that in the digital age, the power is held by the customer because they have access to the entire global offer of security products they are looking for. Start by defining the components of your product and improve to give the customer more than they expect in order to compete. Testing before and after launch strengthens the infrastructure to deliver a bug-free service.
The above indicates that when planning security products you have to make your offer the best of all. The best in what? And here arises the need to define.
3. Strategy and positioning first and foremost: If you do not have a concrete long-term goal for your security company, all the efforts you make will be misused. When planning your products you have to define your positioning, that is, the place that your brand will occupy in the minds of your customers. And here it emerges that, since you can't be good at everything, you have to specialize your business and narrow the focus as much as possible and that way you will increase your likelihood of being a successful salesperson.
In other words you will get more benefits with less. A photographer who specializes in weddings will get more contracts than a normal photographer who attends all kinds of services, so if you are a CCTV expert make yourself known as such.
4. Pricing: Activities aimed at determining the price of the product or service from three perspectives: costs, demand and competition. The price must be according to the desired positioning in the minds of your customers and must be related to that of your competition. It's about defining what consumers can afford or are willing to pay.
5. Advertising: Activities aimed at making the product known to consumers and creating a demand for it. Advertising brings the consumer closer to the product.
6. Sales promotion: Sales promotion stimulates demand and increases sales, and usually brings the product closer to the consumer. Sales promotion consists of incentive tools designed to stimulate the immediate purchase (faster and/or greater) of products or services. Success is achieved when the customer repeats their purchase.
7. Distribution: Carry the product as an integrator, from the manufacturer to the consumer. The section that links demand with supply is logistics and distribution channels. If you sell products such as cameras, alarms etc, they are easy to distribute since they are made over the Internet network to other sub-distributors. If you sell physical products, such as facilities or projects, you have to study how to deliver the products in the shortest possible time and have the security of their delivery in order to avoid discredit if the agreed delivery deadline is not met.
8. Add value to electronic sales: For the potential buyer to decide to buy your product or service, you have to offer all the information that is relevant and you must also incorporate advantages over buying through traditional means.
Examples: buy your cameras without leaving home, there are already companies in our market that offer cameras and accessories separately to speed up the sale and then offer separate installation as a way to make the product much more accessible and attractive.
Your website must offer the necessary elements to assist in the purchase process: features, advantages, uses, prices, e-mail, contact telephone (this topic is very important because there are many people who want to talk personally on the phone before deciding on the purchase). Keep in mind that what is perceived is or that is seen as reality, like life insurance, is a death insurance ... you get paid when you're dead, but who wants to buy death insurance?
Please provide the way to contact you so that the potential buyer can make some additional queries. Finally, the form of payment should allow the buyer all the options: check, money order, credit card, etc.
The above activities are carried out when planning and preparing a new marketing program in our industry.
Happy Sales!
*If you wish you can write to the author of this article at the email [email protected]
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