Page 78 - Lighting Magazine April 2019

on the mark
Be Your Own
AD AGENCY
Showrooms of all sizes are reimagining how they can compete in a marketplace that is in a constant state of ux. BY MARK OKUN
74 enLIGHTenment Magazine | april 2019
www.enlightenmentmag.com
The need to level the playing eld begins with the alignment of marketing, adver- tising, and sales. The marketing ba le showrooms face is similar to that of the well-known story of David & Goliath.
Independent showrooms need not fall victim to well-funded challengers with many employees. The way to win is to focus on your strengths instead of your weaknesses in comparison to your competi- tors’ size, procedures, and lengthy processes.
I have stated previously that mass marketing is on life support – if it still has any breath le at all – and a one-size- ts-all advertising strategy will not provide the di erentiation you need to stand out in your trading area, never mind on the internet. Today’s customers will pass over the once-reliable product ads that scream “Buy me!” However, there are some basic advertising disciplines you must keep in mind.
beGin wiTH five ps
In his 1960 textbook “Basic Marketing: A Manage- rial Approach,” E. Jerome McCarthy de ned the 4 Ps marketing mix and the foundational actions that have since been used by companies for decades. I will introduce one more “P” that will help you adapt it to the digital formats of today.
McCarthy’s 4 Ps are Product, Pricing, Placement, and Promotion. In the past, you only needed to understand and apply these four characteristics in your advertising to drive clients to your business and experience sales success.
I am adding a h “P” – Persona – which I feel is the a ribute that impacts all others. I want to intro- duce this “P” with the adage, “You can’t be all things to all people.” In the digital age, this statement has never rung more true.
With all of the challenges of being a showroom these days, aiming for the clients who will be best