Implementation
How Do We Get There:
We believe in installing a system. Why? Because our experience is that a system will always outperform any other approach. You commit to a program of choice. The initial time period is very intensive and requires a strong commitment both from a strategic and implementation viewpoint. Building a plan on where you are is one of the most important processes that you can do. Then we can define your objectives; develop strategies to achieve them, then institute tactics to carry out your strategies. If your objectives are not being met, your strategies and tactics may need to be changed. But without a baseline and a plan to work from, the process and achievements are only arbitrary.
We do not complicate your life, we make it easier. Business 901 implements processes tailored to what you need NOW. The system is developed and implemented around your needs, not the other way around.
OUR RETAINER GUIDELINES:
When we work on a retainer basis. We will give you a firm quote based on a detailed brief provided by you of what you need.
We generally find that about 30% of organization budgets go to fees, creative and production, with 70% going to media, materials, internet presence and other out of pocket expenses. Over time, this usually shifts to 80%/20%, as we don’t need to recreate materials and programs from scratch.
Your monthly fee after that depends on how much you want to do yourself. For example, you may want to schedule a day a month to review your plans and programs, and provide strategic coaching. On the other hand, you may need us to do the work: manage projects, find suppliers, prepare media plans, manage public relations and events, create flyer and ad templates and scripts. We can give you access to designers, printers and producers through our network that no-one can beat for price and great work.
Contracts are as long as makes sense to both of us – it may be that you need us more early in the year and then want to do more yourselves once the programs get going.
I have managed, owned and operated a variety of small businesses. I know how to deliver services to my clients. In this process you will learn how to do a lot of things but more importantly discovering what you are able to do yourself and what needs to be hired out. This knowledge is what I hope to pass on to you.
As an example, most businesses have no marketing, nor sales process whatsoever. Too often we think of marketing as manipulative tricks to get prospects to notice us and respond to us. The truth is marketing is a process of presenting real value in an attractive, competent and compelling manner. In the sales process you need to have questions prepared, value points outlined, and an understanding of exactly when to listen and when to ask for action. When a prospect says, “I’ll think about it,” they really mean, “You blew it.”
An effective marketing process spans from lead generation through sales closure. Pick one area at a time and make a commitment to improve that. You might have a long list, but you have to start somewhere and before too long you’ll have dramatically improved.
