market-your-business-on-a-budget

Tips To Market Your Business On A Budget

by Communications

market-your-buisness-on-a-budgetDo you ever look at those large businesses… those with seemingly unlimited budgets who spend thousands upon thousands of dollars each month on marketing activities? Do you wish you had that kind of budget? The kind of budget that allows you to take more risk in your marketing efforts without the concern that it could bankrupt their company?

As a small business owner, things are likely very different when it comes to spending on marketing. You may not have multiple departments to review analytics, create landing pages for certain products, execute multiple social media ads and pay per click advertising. It is important that your business receives the biggest bang for your buck. There are a few steps that you can take to maximize your return in investment.

Social media

One of the wonderful things about social media, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, is that they can boost your reach with little investment. Social media helps to level the playing field for small businesses. When leveraging connections that regularly share your content, you reach a broader audience with minimal investment.

A $10 investment to boost a Facebook post can land it in front of several hundred more people who may be interested in your business. These are new people who could possibly share your post or like it, displaying it to their friends and family. For Business-to-Business businesses, advertising on LinkedIn can help reach decision makers.

Market research

Market research is a very important aspect of marketing. It also happens to be free, that is if you choose to do it yourself. Part of market research is learning what your customers like, where they like to hang out, and what they want.

If you do your homework, whether it is through surveys, questioners, or simply listening to what they are saying, you stand a better chance of being able to deliver what they want. Know where their pain points are and offer a solution. This will allow you to engage on chat groups where your customers frequent. When engagement is done a certain way, you can ask for help and pose a question. These answers may be your next product or service you offer.

Email marketing

Have you ever seen a new email pop into your inbox and became excited to see a promotion being run on your favorite product? At some point you decided that you wanted to opt in for the promotions that company was offering.

As a Business-to-Consumer business owner, you need to do the same with your customers. Once you acquire your customer’s email address, you gain the ability to entice them to come back to your store or online website and shop. Effective email programs target shoppers and provide appropriate information and/or discounts for the products they are most interested in. These programs are customizable and can offer your customers the ability to take advantage of any sales or discounts you might be offering.

If you offer a Business-to-Business service, you can use email to engage your audience through insightful blogs, video, or white papers. The key to any program is to regularly execute and then utilize the email platform tools to cross share through your social media channels. You want to set yourself apart as an expert in the field.

Just because you have a small business does not mean you cannot market in a big way. Improving your brand marketing through relatively inexpensive avenues can help to boost sales and generate larger profit, all while operating on a smaller budget. Listen to your customers wants and needs. Provide them an avenue to receive your latest sales and incentives. This will help you to market while staying within your budget. Want to learn more…email us or give us a call at 724-612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Evaluating-Your-Small-Business-Sales-Process

Evaluating Your Sales Process

by Communications

Have you noticed that your phone isn’t ringing as much, or that your foot traffic has slowed? You may have found yourself in the “dog days” of summer. “Dog days” refer to the time in late July and into August when the heat has set in, and so has the slow pace and lethargy. People are on vacation and decision makers may be less available.

So now that you have found yourself in the dog days, what can you do? Making the most out of your “slow” days can be the difference between a successful bounce back from those dog days and a fall flop. Having the right sales strategy checklist can help to keep you and your business on the track for growth this fall.

Now may be time to re-evaluate your sales process. When you evaluate your sales process, you want to find which areas represent your strength and provide a largest return. Additionally, there may be areas that are weak and need improvement. While your foot traffic is slow, take some time to re-examine the steps of your sales process.

Start with how your company intakes new inbound sales leads along with generating outbound cold calls, sales demos and the closing process leading to a sale. Determine which points in your process yield the highest return rates. Those are the areas you want continue to focus efforts on. Areas that you see little return are the steps in the sales cycle which you want to develop a new process or technique. One example of this is reevaluating your call script that is used for cold calling and outbound calls. Does your current process uncover a potential client’s pain points?

Business owners often get caught up in the hustle and bustle of dealing with the daily needs of customers and business. The key is when you hit a slow down to utilize your time wisely. If you could snap your fingers and make a change in your marketing effort, what would it be? Is there a new lead generation tactic that you would like to try? Can you possibly go back to a former client for repeat business or upsell opportunities? Should you be updating your current website? Are you asking for client testimonials? There are so many times in business that an opportunity is in plain sight and you simply fail to see it because you’re working in your business and not on it.

Examine how you regularly keep in contact with current customers and potential clients. Is it through email or an electronic newsletter? Do you have an editorial plan in place? Are you capturing email addresses through social media and your website? These regular touches with pertinent information keep you and your company top of mind. If this program seems like an insurmountable task, perhaps it’s time to outsource it. The Edmiston Group writes custom blogs and executes digital newsletters for our clients every month. We can help you get there!

We’ve asked a lot of questions within this blog. The reason is to have a business owner begin thinking about the strategy behind the sale of a product or service and uncover gaps that may exist. While the ‘dog days’ of summer are often slow for business, it doesn’t mean that you have to slow down as well. Use the slow time to work on your sales strategy and lead your company down a path to growth for when it’s back to business moving into the fall season.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Employee-Stress

Managing Employee Stress

by Communications

Employee-StressStress in the workplace is something that you want to try to manage. There is nothing worse than finding out too late that your star employee goes to bed every Sunday night already stressed about work on Monday, especially if it is stress that can be avoided or better managed.

Employee performance can be affected by stress. Studies have shown that living with chronic stress can cause the body to have a weakened immune system, higher blood pressure, headaches, and stomach issues just to name a few. So what can you do as a business owner to help reduce the stress that you and/or your employees may be feeling from the everyday work?

Have an open door policy. Much of work place related stress comes from lack of communication or mixed communication. Many people aren’t necessarily stressed out by the work that they are given, but by the uncertainty of how they are expected to complete the work or what the final outcome is to be. The open door policy allows your employees to talk to you and work out any frustrations that they may be facing and allows for open channels of communication.

Let them own their workspace. For many jobs where you don’t have a physical office for each employee, start by increasing the lighting, the more natural light the better. Also, using light colors can help to improve the mood. If your employees do have their own office, cubical, or workspace, let it be theirs. Allow them to decorate to give them a sense that their work space is comfortable and reflects their personality

Be flexible with scheduling. For employees, a big part of work related stress is being able to balance their personal life with their work life. If it is possible, flexible scheduling allows them to pick when they want to work, working around their personal life. For many businesses, it may not be necessary for employees to be there on set hours. Letting them pick when they want to work, as long as they get the required hours in, will help them to reduce the stress of trying to manage home and work life.

As a business owner it is your responsibility to take care of and manage your employees. This means that when at all possible you should help to manage their stress levels. Not only will you find that your employees are happier and healthier, but you will also see their overall work increase.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

business-reputation

Does Your Business Reputation Measure Up?

by Communications

business-reputationWhat does your business reputation say about you? Too many business owners and professionals go about day-to-day operations and become busy enough to forget to see what other people are saying about you and your company. Your reputation of how others perceive you may be the difference between attracting new business and driving that new business away. If you’re an employee, your reputation can be the stepping stone to being hired.

With the internet being so intertwined in our everyday movements, it is all too easy to pull out your phone and run a quick google search of a company or a person to find out how they really interact with customers or other professionals. The other part of your reputation comes from person-to-person interactions, or word of mouth. When your reputation is passed on by word of mouth it usually carries more weight, as the level of trust or knowing between the people talking about you or your company is much greater than reading strangers’ reviews online.

Trust me are words that we often use. How much a person trusts you depends on your reputation. If you are the type that is always running late or not completing tasks in a timely manner, these words may carry little to no weight with them. So how do you keep your reputation to the level where people actually trust you and or your company? You deliver – on time and on budget!

Keep in mind that your reputation does not change overnight in either direction. Start with building trust. Build trust with people around you, and with your clients. Recognize the word “build”. Trust is built when you repeatedly deliver on time, you show up when you are supposed to, and respect others and their time. You have to give trust to get it, so don’t be afraid to let others do what they say they will and learn not to micromanage the project.

After you have established trust, you have to show that you really care. As a business owner, there is nothing worse than having customers think that you don’t care about them or their business. A big part of maintaining a good reputation is righting any wrongs that may have happened. There will inevitably be a time where you and or your company will not deliver as you were supposed to. A big part of how your customers will view you is how you handle it. If you brush it off, your customers will assume that you do not care. On the other hand if you fix the problem and make sure the customer is satisfied you will boost your reputation and show your customers that you are a strong ethical company that cares about your customers.

As a business owner or a professional, be sure to take the time to run a google search on your name and your company. This may often bring to light blogging topics that you wrote, awards, LinkedIn profiles, etc.

Doing this may also alert you to customers that were unsatisfied which you were unaware of. It also does not hurt to ask your customers about their experience and if there is anything you can do differently that would have made their experience better.

The bottom line…people want to do business with those they like, respect and trust. Not everyone has to be your friend, but how does your reputation stack up? Sometimes as a business owner, you need to take the high road and always do the right thing by the customer.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

managing-business-growth

Seasons of Growth

by BlogCommunications

managing-business-growthAs spring changes to summer one of the biggest things you may notice is how all of the plants that were coming to life in April and May have reached their climax. The spring flowers have bloomed, then fallen, the plant has survived and stabilizing itself for the summer. As a business owner, I appreciate this process and feel as though it relates to not only my business, but to businesses everywhere.

The first few years as a business owner are usually pretty rough, struggling to turn a profit and build a client base. Once you do have the base, the flowers fall off and you’ve become stable, knowing that you made it. In my 10 years in business I can fully assure you that this is one of the most gratifying feelings you will experience as a business owner. But now knowing your roots are firmly planted in the ground and you are stable, has it become time to grow?

Every season your business grows or changes you will feel the excitement that you felt as a new business owner. You will realize and appreciate the process of getting through the spring season without getting nipped by the frost and coming out the other side bigger and better than you were prior to growth. Before making the decision to grow, you need to answer a few important questions and set a business plan in place.

This process is similar to how you trim back your bushes each year and let them grow in the areas you want to expand.

  1. Plan. What is the worst thing that could happen in growing the business, whether your growth involves a new employee, expanding your office or a whole new location all-together? Having a back-up plan for the “what if” is important to planning your growth.
  2. Expectations. What are your expectations for the growth you have planned? Be sure to lay out short-range, mid-range, and long-range goals.
  3. Outcomes. You need to be optimistic. Plan for how you will handle the potential growth and what you will do to keep up with growing business. Adding a new location is not the only part of growing business, you need to have a plan on how to keep your reputation up and handle the growth.

Building your team and getting them on board is the next step. Having the right staff on board will determine the level of your success. Share your growth plans with your team so they understand your dream, and have their buy in for helping you achieve your goals.

Planning for the growth both financially and by building the right team will help to ensure your success through your next seasons of business!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Hiring-The-Right-Fit

Hiring The Right Fit

by ArticlesCommunications

Hiring the right personWith college out for the summer the pool of candidates you have to hire has more than likely grown. Whether you are looking for summer help or a new full time employee, there is never a better time to hire. That being said, hiring the right person can be the difference between a happy employee-employer relationship and one that creates more stress and turmoil for you and your other employees.

There are several steps to take into consideration when you are looking to hire a new employee. The most common mistake I see in the business industry is hiring someone simply to have a warm body to fill a position. While initially this may lighten the load on your schedule, a wrong hire may end up making more work for everyone. Having the right staff will ensure your business has the greatest chance of success!

If you are at a pivotal point, or have a pressing project, there are many consultants and outsourced services to consider. This will allow you time to find the right employee, or may provide an alternative solution as you grow your business.

As a business owner, keeping the right staff on payroll is an ongoing process, and one that you should never stop. Even when you are fully staffed there are steps you can take to help reduce the time it would require to replace an employee should someone leave or not be a good fit with your company’s culture.

The first step is to always be interviewing. Ideally a company will get the perfect team of employees and no one will ever leave. That however rarely happens. Even if you have dedicated employees, as a business owner, you need to have a plan on how to prepare for growth. If you overload that perfect team you will, in most cases, see the work start to suffer. Or even worse they may look for other employment with a less stressful environment. For these reasons, it is always important to have your hand in the talent pool knowing who and what skillsets are out there.

Having a candidate, or a few candidates in mind if the need arises for growth or replacement will help to reduce the stress on your team. If your team is going gangbusters and have reached their capacity, you may also want to consider adding new positions to fulfill different functions. Consultants and outsourced services are a great way to bridge the gap when you’re not quite to the tipping point.

Some business owners may feel that once they hire someone they are stuck with them. If you hire a candidate and have a gut feeling they aren’t going to work out, cut your losses during the first 60-90 days. That’s why many companies have a probationary period. Begin searching for their replacement and be prepared to make a move once all the pieces are in place. As you begin the process of interviewing, be sure to give yourself the time needed to properly interview and find the “right fit.” An HR consultant can help screen and narrow down potential candidates based on the position’s qualifications, thus saving a business owner time and money.

It is becoming a common practice, and a good one I might add, to have your top candidates meet with the team that they will be working with. Keep in mind that they are the ones that will have to get along with your new employee. If you like the candidate and your team doesn’t, your business could suffer and your perfectly functioning team can become that of conflict and strife.

Now that college is out, it’s the perfect time to knock the rust off your interviewing skills and look through the pool of possible candidates. Take your time, vet the possible candidates and be sure you find the right person who will complement your current workforce. If you’re not quite ready to bring on an employee or need an experienced senior level staff person on a part time basis, consider hiring a consultant.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Edmiston Group

Planning Your Vacation

by BlogCommunications

Edmiston GroupSummer time is quickly approaching, and the kids will soon be done with school. This means that it is time for your family vacation right? As many small business owners know this is easier said than done.

As a business owner myself, I find it challenging to go away on vacation and not be constantly checking my phone, or my email to make sure there are no emergencies. But, I have a good team and I have found with proper planning, you too can learn to enjoy your vacation away from work.

Preparing for your vacation well in advance is one the biggest steps to enjoying your vacation this summer. If you are like many small business owners with less than 10 employees, your absence may feel like an emergency is just around the corner. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Create a set of contingencies and give your staff the power to handle what comes up.

Prepare and train your employees.

One thing is always certain when it comes to emergencies, they will happen at the most inopportune moments, like… when you are away on vacation. These emergencies can be handled by your employees if they are trained and have all the information they need to know on how to handle the situation. The following information will help them to handle the emergency and prevent it from making its way into your vacation.

From A Physical Plant Perspective.
  • List of all contractors you use for plumbing, electrical, computer, internet, or other services that are pertinent to your business.
  • At what level of emergency do you wish to be notified? Simple problems such as a leaky sink are not an issue, however a major fire is something that you should be called over.
  • Name and number of your business insurance provider.

Empowering your employees to make not only simple decisions, but larger ones as well, will better allow them to handle an emergency when it arises.

Client Management.

Another step to being able to enjoy your vacation, is to notify your clients well in advance as to when you will be out of town. If you are your only employee they will need to know that you will be unreachable and how long you will be out of town.

The next part of managing your clients while you are out of town is to work ahead. Complete any work that can be accomplished in advance. This will help to reduce catch up when you get back to the office.

If you have a client that typically works with you over other employees, take time to assign an employee who you feel will work well with them and give the proper introductions to the employee. Also be sure the client knows when you will be gone, and that your employee is more than capable of completing the tasks you normally preform.

Lastly, always give yourself a few extra days after you get back. Having a day or two in the office while everyone still thinks your out will give you time to get caught up without the distraction of the phone ringing or your email pinging.

As a business owner it is important to take your time to recharge your batteries and unwind. Proper planning with not only your employees but also with your clients will help to make this possible.

It’s almost time for me to stick my toes in the sand! But don’t worry, I have things covered.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Increasing-your-productivity

Increasing Your Productivity

by ArticlesCommunications

Increasing-your-productivityDo you have a desk at work? To most of us the answer is yes. A question that is often sought after by those of us who do sit at a desk every day is, “How can I be more productive?” To answer this question, you need to get up and walk away.

Now obviously walking away from your desk isn’t going to make you more productive however it’s what you do away from your desk that can. Many people try caffeine, or other energy boosting supplements to increase productivity, however exercise may be your answer. Going to the gym isn’t all about getting a six pack abs or bulking up. Having an active lifestyle will also help to improve your brain power, which can result in you being more productive.

Anyone who works in the corporate world knows all too well of the stresses and anxiety that can come along with it. Those who don’t let stress get the best of them are usually the ones that perform the best in high stress corporate positions. Exercise is the one way that these types of people often overcome stress in the workplace.

Want to give your brain more cells? According the process of neurogenesis, the rate of which your brain cells grow will decrease as you get older. In 2008 a study showed as we age, brain cells of people who exercise on a regular basis have a higher brain growth rate. This means that those who choose to be more active throughout their lives are more productive in the workplace. In many cases brain cell growth for active individuals advances at a higher rate than those who don’t regularly exercise.

Exercising also leads to you having more energy. Most of your cells contain mitochondria, which are often referred to as the “powerhouse” of the cell. Mitochondria help to produce the energy that your body needs. As you exercise your body produces more mitochondria, which in turn leads to you having more energy. This additional energy will help you to be more focused, and therefore more productive.

So whether you are looking to have more energy or to be more productive, the answer is as simple as walking away from your desk. On your work breaks go for a short walk, do some steps or other simple exercises to help get your blood flowing. This will help to lead to a happier, healthier, more productive work day!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Customer-Service-Experience

Create a Positive Customer Service Experience

by Communications

Customer-Service-ExperienceYour employees are the conduit between your customers and the cash register.  Customers choose where they spend their money. To make your small business as productive as possible, you need a great team behind you and that includes your employees.

How do you find and keep the right team of employees? Below are some tips for getting the most out of your team.

Boost Happiness Among Hourly Employees

If you want to get the most out of your team, it helps to keep them happy. Even hourly workers tend to get more done and stick around longer if you can provide some little things that make them happier at work. Expressing appreciation and a simple thank you means a lot. It shows employees you truly value them. An employee of the month recognition and a gift card every once in a while doesn’t break the bank and goes a long way toward employee morale.

Learn How to Hire Consultants

Adding to your small business team doesn’t necessarily have to mean hiring hourly employees. You can potentially grow your business by utilizing the help of consultants. These are experts in their field that can help with such things as marketing, social media, bookkeeping and human resource issues. You may not need a full-time employee. Independent consultants are focused and disciplined in their given areas of expertise and hiring the right consultant can help you strategize and grow your business.

Avoid Distractions and Consistently Hit Your Targets

It’s easy to say that you want to get more done in your business. But there are tons of distractions out there that can keep you from reaching your goals and targets. Make sure employees and consultants alike are aware of your goals. Celebrate the small victories when targets are hit.

Create a Sales Page for Your Online Course or Product

If you want your online customers to be able to complete their purchases easily, you need a great sales page. Inform your team of ongoing promotions. For instore promos – create a sales calendar outline the next quarter’s promotion so they know what’s coming up. Your staff will feel empowered and customers will appreciate a “heads up” on a future sale that starts in a few days.

Use Social Listening for Your Business

Social media isn’t just for promoting your business. You can also use it to learn from your customers and followers using social listening. Ask for reviews, monitor your online reputation and respond to any concerns listed by your customers.

Your customers and their purchasing power help to keep your lights on.  Create a WOW experience through stellar customer service. Empower your employees with knowledge and training. Give praise and appreciation for a job well done.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.

Buying-cycle

The Buyer’s Journey

by Communications

Buying-cycleWhether you are a business to consumer retail store or a business to business professional services company, customers buy from you for a reason. How do you help a potential buyer on their journey from awareness to purchase?

Establishing relationships and rapport to generate trust in a product or service is the first step in the sales cycle. Once that trust is earned, you must work hard to keep that customer. They become your cheerleaders in telling others why to use your services.

How often do you see on Facebook or other social media channels – “hey I need a good _____, can anyone recommend someone?” You want that recommendation to be your business or service. Those recommendations come from not only satisfied customers, but also from loyal customers and there is a difference.

Loyal customers visit your store often or rely on your expertise for professional service delivery and/or advice. Do you offer those loyal customers something special? We see it in restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores and retail chains. VIP status, free beverage with a purchase, special coupons. What are you doing to keep your loyal customers happy? How are you making them feel special?

Buying Cycle Steps

There are three steps to the buying cycle – awareness, consideration and purchase. These are things to keep in mind as you seek new customers. People need to know about your product or service before they can consider purchasing from you. So how are you putting your business out there? Are you advertising in the right place? Do you network with potential clients? Are you hanging out where your customers are? This includes social media. If you want to attract a younger audience, you might consider using Snap Chat. A business service may focus on LinkedIn.

What’s the hold up in your customers’ buying decision? Maybe they need to see your offerings in a different light. Perhaps they need to justify the financial investment you’re asking them to make or better understand how others have benefited from using your offerings.

Here are some things that may help move from new customers through the sales cycle.

  • Send them articles, case studies or interviews with industry experts that are relevant to them. This helps to demonstrate your knowledge in the industry or vertical trends.
  • Offer to provide an assessment or a one hour consultation. This allows for some face-to-face interaction to uncover what the potential customer’s pain points are that exist.
  • Provide them with a payback analysis tool. Show them how to use an ROI calculator to determine the $$ they will make/save using your offering.

Understanding why your business is different that someone down the street offering similar services and creating a brand that conveys that message will be key to leveraging your unique selling proposition and closing the sale.

Sometimes the timing just isn’t quite right in the purchase cycle, but those regular touches with potential customers will help to keep your product or service top of mind when it’s time for the purchase to occur. Patience and persistence with targeted messaging is key to business growth.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.