Most used to associate animal nutrition marketing with advertisement or just sales. Indeed, advertising is a significant part of marketing, but that’s not it. Marketing also includes sending a competent technical and a sales team out to your customers, but doing only this leads to many disappointments.
What is actually included in marketing is a huge discussion, but we can all agree it can everything we can do about successfully placing our product in the market so that it generates significant profit first for our customers and then of course, ourselves.
In my experience, what is missing from the marketing efforts of many nutrition companies today is the exhibition of their capabilities to deliver what they promise. In other words, you do not only have to be "really good" in what you do; people must know about it, too!
So how is this done?
Of course, advertisements, as mentioned, are crucial, but you can only say so much in an advert. In fact, the most successful adverts, say the least. But, other additional means are required to expose your technical, scientific, and people’s skill base. Here are but just a few:
1. Write the book
If you’re selling organic acids, write a book about organic acids. Don’t expect to make any money on it (at least, I didn’t make any at all!) and be prepared for some extensive spending of time.
2. Write an article
Failing to write a whole book, write smaller, but highly angled articles. Avoid advertorials, because these are old-fashioned and very transparent replacements for adverts…Write for the benefit of your readers and they will reward you. Don’t write about your products (see above for sending your team out to the customer-that’s their job).
3. Publish a newsletter
Easier said than done, but if you avoid the trap of talking about your products, it can be a considerable image-improvement vehicle. Don’t publish one every week.
4. Organize a conference
This is where big companies spend their money; only because it works the best. After the conference, write that book or article.
5. Organize a webinar
Everybody in on the Internet (right?), and if you cannot afford a conference, do a webinar.
6. Write a blog
But, don’t expect people to come to your website – nobody visits commercial nutrition websites, unless they need something specific. Instead, get it delivered to email accounts (after asking permission) or get your blog associated with a high-traffic website.
