If you are branching out on your own with a geographical or geospatial-based business, you are no doubt an expert in your subject matter and confident that you can offer a service that is both needed and which you can deliver effectively and profitably.
In a specialist sector like GIS, you’re not likely to be setting up a business or planning to go freelance without the necessary technical expertise. However, there are aspects of your venture that require completely different skill sets, and one of these is marketing.
Why you need to get serious about marketing
If marketing makes you think of being manipulated by persuasive television advertisements into buying something you don’t really want, you need to start finding out more about its true function. Marketing is an umbrella term for the activities you undertake that will result in as many people as possible who are likely to be interested in your business knowing about you. The reason there are so many specialist marketing firms and thousands of books and online resources devoted to the subject is simply that without marketing it correctly, your business doesn’t stand a chance. Regardless of the business that you’re currently in, it is important to invest in marketing services, and even more important that you have a solid marketing strategy put in place to help your company succeed.
Why it isn’t as easy as ABC
It would be great if it was simple to be successful in marketing, but unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it than just letting people know you exist. Not only do people need to know about you, but it also needs to be the right people. Reaching a million souls with an advert might sound like a good idea, but if none of them have a clue what geospatial analysis is, you won’t get any leads, and your expensive ad campaign will have been for naught. So you need to target the people who are most likely to need your service, which means researching who they are and where information about your business is best placed to ensure they see it. Then you need to turn potential customers into actual buyers, by showing them what you can offer that will fulfill a need they have, and why it should be you as opposed to any of the other GIS businesses. If this all sounds like it’s beyond your abilities or interest, with such an important function you should consider outsourcing to a company that specializes in email marketing services. Ignoring the importance of marketing, getting it wrong and wasting time on it when you would be better off concentrating on the core of your business are all recipes for failure, so don’t be afraid to seek some help.
Remember, getting your marketing strategy right is essential to establishing and growing your business, so give it the attention it demands to ensure the future of your enterprise.