What is marketing?

Wikipedia defines marketing as “the business process of creating relationships with and satisfying customers with its focus on the customer,” Heidi Cohen provides 72 definitions in “ Actionable Marketing Guide 2018”.She cites that Shenandoah Diaz – President and Master of Mayhem, Brass Knuckles Media saying that “Marketing has little to do with the service provider and everything to do with the customer.

Marketing educates and engages the customer, satisfying their needs while simultaneously positioning the service provider as a trusted advisor and source. Good marketing is a two-way street. Great marketing understands what the customer wants and gives it to them.  “
There are many commonalities in these definitions to consider as one would reflect on how to implement a SMART marketing approach. Those common themes are, customer first, building trusting, authentic relationships with our customers and systematically and consistently interacting with customers to build what Ken Blanchard called  “Raving Fans.”

What then is SMART Marketing?

S=Specific Simplified Systematic understandings of who your “Ideal Client”( Our Avatar) is and how you can address their needs over time
M=Meaningful and Measurable criteria to measure progress to meeting customers needs
A=Aligned, Accountable philosophies, and practices understood at all levels of the organization that our culture revolves around serving our customers and supporting each other in the process.
R=Reasonable and Responsible benchmarks are established to measure progress and built-in review sessions to refine plans as needed.
T=Time specific benchmarks to maintain our clarity and focus on customer service. Transferable skills that can be taught and monitored in the network.

How do we implement a SMART Marketing plan?

Implementing this model depends on two factors.

1. A leadership team who develop a clear, systematic plan, communicated and as Patrick Lencioni said in The Advantage” “overcommunicated and overcommunicated “to all members at all levels of the team.
2. A systematic model of support for leaders and all members of the network in implementation and follow up. The use of professionally certified coaches can help significantly enhance this process serve customers and developing raving fans.