Written In Stone

These 10 commandments may be the answer to your marketingprayers.

Marketing isn't an optional expense. Although it's oftenthe first budget lineto be sliced and diced when cash flow is low,it's important to remember thatmarketing your business is oftenthe activity that turns tough times around.Abiding by the followingten commandments of marketing can help you avoid thepitfalls ofmany start-up marketers and guide you in getting the good wordoutabout your product or service.

1. Know your audience. The customers you want to attract shouldfit the profileof your "ideal" customer--those peoplemaking purchases at levels that are mostprofitable to, or bestserviced by, your business.

2. Know your competition. Watch them closely--you might learnfrom their trialsand errors.

3. Know yourself. Examine the set of skills it'll take tomarket your business.We all have strengths and weaknesses, soit's important to recognize what youcan realistically doin-house.

4. Plan. The acronym RACE stands for a formula that marketingprofessionalshave been using for decades: Research, Action plan,Communication, Evaluation.

5. You need to communicate your key messages to your audiencesegments on aregular basis in order to get their attention andcreate a lasting impression.

6. Be carefully creative. It's important that your materialsbe creative--butnever at the expense of communicating your keymessages. Make sure the benefitsof who you are and what you do areclear.

7. Diversify your efforts. Use the powers of publicity andcross-promotions tostretch your marketing budget.

8. Budget your time and your money. Marketing programs need tobe tempered bytwo kinds of budgets: time and money. If either orboth are limited, you needto carefully examine the strategies andtactics you'll employ to accomplishyour goals.

9. Measure your results. Use contests or surveys to learn whichmedia vehiclesyour customers are choosing for information andentertainment--and beginincorporating those media into youradvertising and public relations efforts.

10. Be flexible. By putting some thought into your promotionalefforts beforeyou spend your money, you can achieve far moreeffective results than with ashoot-from-the-hip approach.