January, 2008

If You Got It . . . Flaunt It
By Donna Raspopovich

Have you accomplished everything you planned to in 2007?  Is your company equipped with everything it needs to offer the best products and/or services possible?  If your answer is “Yes,” then ask yourself, “Am I adequately conveying this information to my customers?”  I’d like to share my recent experience with you which re-affirms my corporate belief of “If you got it . . . flaunt it!” 

I recently stayed at a hotel in the Chicagoland area, one I was not expecting too much from, to say the least.  My choice in hotels was due to a family gathering and central location, not on personal preferences.  The reputation of the hotel chain is average, at best.  Their website offered nothing to change my opinion. 

From the moment I walked in to the moment I departed I was pleasantly surprised.  The hotel had been impeccably remodeled, the rooms were extremely clean and tastefully decorated, the pool area was nice, the service was exceptional, and the breakfast buffet with omelet station was outstanding. 

I certainly never expected all that from this particular hotel chain.  Of course, how would I know?  They did nothing to boast the quality of their product or services and were relying on location and reputation alone, which is not the highest of standards.  They could certainly benefit by breaking away from the hotel chain’s reputation, and promoting themselves as a step above the rest.  I suspect there are many companies in similar situations.

As one of the key elements of the marketing mix, promotion involves disseminating information about a product, brand or company.  There are many ways to accomplish this, including various forms of advertising, public relations, web design, direct mail, print promotions and an endless variety of electronic marketing.  Executed appropriately, many of forms of targeted promotions can be very cost-effective.

If your company is in a “comfortable” situation where you have the goods and services your customers need and desire, then don’t hold back on marketing.  It could be the key to setting you apart from your competition.  If you don’t flaunt your strengths, how will anyone know they exist?

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