Marketing Focus - The Hidden Sales Cycle

Last week I took part in a fascinating webinar by The Marketer all about how internet use is changing the buying process and the roles of marketing and sales and I wanted to share the insight.

The experts explained how the online buying journey is quite erratic, but that the research tends to be comprehensive and rely on different sources to make the correct decision. The message was that as modern marketers, the role is increasingly to create the best content to assist your buyers in the evaluation stage and give them no reason to look elsewhere.

Apparently online buyers tend to be 57% through their buying cycle before they make contact with a sales person, so the content marketing needs to be really good to make them get in touch.

They suggested that if you can get a really good idea of who your clients are, what they want to know and where they are looking for information you can develop the right content for them and learn more about the prospect before they actually get in touch. This information can be provided to sales and marketing can develop templates and tools to automatically generate content as well as streamlining the sales process.

I can see a lot of application for this kind of approach for small to medium sized businesses on the Costa del Sol, as it doesn’t require huge investment, just good planning and understanding customers. Armed with the plans and knowledge, quality content can be created to populate a blog to fill any knowledge gaps, position your company as the expert and the go-to source for information.

You can read the full article on our blog here.

Shaw Marketing Services worked with Reality Star to promote their live semi-final and final events in the Spanish and expat press. Over the campaign we recruited media partners and sent out three press releases. As a result we had 14 articles printed in magazines and newspapers, almost 40 online articles, two radio interviews and two TV interviews. We managed to get some solid coverage in the notoriously difficult Spanish press, including a full page in La Opinion de Malaga. Overall the coverage was worth nearly 10,000€ (advertising value) and nearly 30,000€ in terms of editorial value for a relatively small investment in PR. The clippings book can be seen on our website here

This goes to show that with a newsworthy event or item, good communication and press contacts that an awful lot can be achieved for a small initial investment and demonstrates the value of Public Relations. Please contact us on 952 903 154 to find out what we can do for you.

Be prepared for the new academic year

We have a two year old and if it wasn’t for a few good friends’ advice I wouldn’t have had a clue that he can start school in September as this year he’s turning three. March is the month to apply for a place in the state system for September and so there’s a month to do your research and weigh up all the options to decide if state or private schooling is right for you and your child.

To help, Sotogrande International School is running a special information event on Wednesday 5th March 18.00-19.00, to give pre-school parents an insight into the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) primary programme, the IB’s approach to learning for younger children and the pathway to further education in Spain and abroad. This is a chance to ask questions and find out more about this education system prior to choosing a primary school.

There will be refreshments, a chance to meet other parents and speak to the teachers, followed by a short but informative presentation with free childcare provided.

Parents are also invited to visit the school at the next Open Day - Thursday 13th March, 10.00-12.00

RSVP to marketing@sis.gl or visit www.sis.ac for more information.