Technorati Profile

Concepts such as brand building and customer relationship management may seem slightly more nebulous in terms of immediate impact on revenue, but it is this type of activity that will assist in achieving customer loyalty. Loyal customers generate invaluable Word of Mouth (WoM) referrals and provide repeat business, reducing your cost of sale.

Whatever the size of your business, successful marketing relies on a combination of long-term strategy with short-term plan of action for maximum impact. Here are some top tips for marketing success:

1. To fail to plan is to plan to fail
Creating a marketing plan is an essential starting point. Once you have a plan, this should become a manual for marketing activity and should be reviewed and updated regularly. Start with a 'top-down'approach. Establish a clear vision for your business; define your brand values and your messages from the outset. Once this is clear, all your campaigns should fit with the overall image and messaging that you want to portray.

2. Knowledge is power - get market savvy
Before you can decide where you want to go, you need to know where you are starting from. Define your market, whether geographically or in terms of products/services, establish who your key competitors are and their strengths and weaknesses, consider what your customers views are of your company and other stakeholders such as press and industry commentators.

3. Know your competitors
Keeping one eye on the competition is an essential ingredient for success in any marketing strategy. Marketing campaigns, news, changes in pricing or policies by your competitors can have a direct impact on your customers' perceptions. Stay one step ahead of the competition, pre-empting and reacting to their news where appropriate.

4. Set clear objectives
Setting clear goals is crucial to ensure that marketing activity is focused and measurable. Be specific about your objectives, set a timeline for achieving them and make sure they are realistic.

5. Talk to your customers
Building a rapport with your customers will not only help you to create a loyal, customer fan base, but will also ensure that any occasional glitches in service delivery are forgiven. In today's consumer age, an opinion, good or bad, is only a click away, so make sure that you provide customers with regular news and updates and provide an open channel for communication.
Source: Excerpt from smeweb.com

Zafari welcomes Kimberly Bridges as a Marketing/Sales Intern. She hails from the booming metropolis of Hampton, SC  where watermelons are the forefront. Needing a break from all that produce, she found her oasis at the College of Charleston gaining a B.S. in Business Administration in the process. You can also find this Sweet Southern Sensation at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, serving up the best Shrimp n Grits in town, just be sure to tip her well! And when she is not in a suit, or wearing an apron, you can find her dilly-dallying around the garage, fixing the guy-next-door’s lawnmower or on the water catching all the Rainbow Trout! She escapes life by designing, building, and fixing things, so keep a look out for this one as she works her magic here at Zafari!

Announcing new Web Design Intern Christine Marquardt. Christine has returned to her roots in Charleston, SC after earning her Bachelors degree in Economics at Davidson College (Go Cats!). Performing a complete 180 and adding some creativity to her career, she now attends the Art Institute of Charleston where she studies Web Design. She is looking forward to complimenting her love for numbers with her new-found passion for dynamic designs. Christine is excited to be interning with the Zafari team! The next time you are on Wingo Way, be sure to stop by and say Hello! to Christine.

Even if your company does not have a formal marketing or business plan yet, there are many cost-efficient things you can do to market and promote your company’s products and services. Here are 10 simple, tactical ideas to put your marketing efforts on the right track:

Leverage Your Current Customers
Happy customers are your best sales people — ask them to provide testimonials and/or references for prospects. Consider establishing a customer referral program, and provide free/discounted services or a monetary reward for every customer that they recommend.

Develop Alliance Partners
Form strategic partnerships with others who sell a complimentary product or service to your target market. These alliances can be as simple as sharing contacts and leads, or they might take on a more formal structure. Either way, the goal is to broaden your reach beyond your own network.

Become An Industry Leader
People like to buy from subject matter experts. Therefore, look for opportunities to share your skills and talents by writing articles or lecturing on a topic within your area of expertise. Even teaching a night course at the local college or community level will give you additional exposure.

Don’t Be Afraid To Try
If you are serious about growth, spend time outside your comfort zone and try new things. Sometimes new ideas will work, and other times they won’t. Either way, the process will teach you something new and valuable about yourself and your business.

Brainstorm With Others
You are in business for yourself, but that does not mean you need to have all the answers yourself. Whether you are a natural born marketer or one that sees marketing concepts as completely foreign, kick around ideas with others whose opinions and values you trust. You never know where your next “big idea” will come from.

Source: Excerpt from Pertinent.com

Zafari welcomes another member to our growing team. Brian Graham was born and raised in Washington, DC. He has over 6 years of experience in Web Design and Development. He got his feet wet in the business working for local firm Superior Internet before spending the past 3 years with Charleston Magazine as the lead web designer/ developer for 5 separate publications. He attended school at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh before relocating to Charleston where he attended both the College of Charleston and Trident Tech. Brian is an avid musician, surfer and Redskin fan, and can bench nine hundred pounds with one hand. So, the next time youre on Wingo Way, stop by and say Hi to our new, incredibly strong Lead Web Developer!

Zafari Welcomes Rebecca Haden

For the summer, Zafari welcomes Rebecca Haden as a Graphic/Web Design Intern. She is an upcoming senior at the University of Tennessee pursuing a B.F.A in Graphic Design, with minors in Theatre and Art History. She enjoys acting and fried okra, so much so that she was recently named the Tennessee Fried Okra Eating Champ for consuming an impressive 100 barrels of the stuff in record time. She also finds joy in buying new things and the typeface Georgia. Shes excited to work at Zafari for the summer and we are even more excited to have her!

Sara Davis Promoted to Junior Account Executive

Sara Davis was recently promoted to Junior Account Executive. Prior to the promotion she served in the capacity of a marketing assistant. In her new role, Sara will be assisting clients throughout their journey with Zafari and will be their primary point of contact for content collection, project status, photo shoots and all other project activities. Sara will also be staying in touch with clients after their initial projects are complete to ensure everything continues to run smoothly and they are getting the most for their investment.

Even if your company does not have a formal marketing or business plan yet, there are many cost-efficient things you can do to market and promote your companys products and services. Here are 10 simple, tactical ideas to put your marketing efforts on the right track:

1.  Focus on Your Core Competencies

Know your target market and the value your product or service will bring to them. Focus your sales and marketing efforts towards these groups. Avoid spending time trying to acquire customers you cannot properly serve.

2. Develop a Clear and Concise Message

Create a 30 to 60-second statement that clearly explains what you do, for whom, and why your target audience should buy from you. Have this message become your companys mission statement and raison dêtre. Practice your message and notice how your target audience reacts to it.

3.  Use Professional Materials

Nothing says you are a viable business more than having a polished, professional company logo, business cards, stationery, brochures, and possibly even a web site. Keep it all simple, and do not order more than a 3-6 month supply of printed materials. Once these pieces are in place, use them everywhere!
4.  Join Networking Groups

Join or form one or two networking groups with individuals you do not know very well. Tell people what you do and who your target market is. Help others by connecting them with potential suppliers or employers. In time, they will return the favor to you.
5.  Network Every Day

Networking is not limited to groups and networking meetings. Carry your business cards with you at all times and be prepared to talk about your companys mission statement at a moments notice. Your next hot prospect might be standing behind you at the grocery store.

Source: Excerpt from Pertinent.com