Leaving It To Chance?

Aside from raising my eyebrows numerous times (bless those of you with teenagers), I couldn&t help but notice how often this clever musician artfully slipped the name of her new fashion product line into her songs. Ten or so songs, about as many mentions. Talk about integrated brands. By the way, the CD was released long before Stefani&s recent splash on the runway. Call this marketing with forethought.

Being that my brain often works in weird ways, this whole train of thought reminded me of a question that a solution provider posed to me during a Netseminar I hosted in late September.

Simply put, he wondered whether his company should hire another salesperson to drive more demand or hire a marketing specialist instead?

Not knowing his exact circumstances, my answer was something less than precise: It depends. But I firmly believe solution providers leave far too much to chance when it comes to building visibility for their own brand—whether or not you choose to make it someone&s sole function.

For example, some of you rely on focused customer seminars to generate awareness, but your follow-up is less than thorough. Or you relegate your company to a supporting role during vendor-sponsored events. And some solution providers I consider to be more sophisticated have yet to actually put together a marketing plan and stick to it for a whole year.

It&s a bit early for New Year&s resolutions, but as you formulate your 2006 strategy, you might ask yourself if you&re leaving too much to chance when it comes to how you are perceived by your clients and your customer prospects.

Do you have a specific visibility goal for the next 12 months? Can all your employees share the infamous “elevator pitch” if asked on the spot to describe your company&s mission?

It&s time for solution providers to determine where vendors fit within their own marketing agendas, rather than vice versa.

Remember, practice may not make perfect in this case, but it does make permanent.

What should I know about you? HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN, wants to hear from you at hclancy@cmp.com.