Do Entrepreneurs Need A Degree In Marketing To
Succeed?

In today's business world, lack of marketing knowledge can
seriously impact business. Marketing is a fluid subject today;
it is evolving and innovating at every turn.

 In today's business world, lack of marketing knowledge can
seriously impact business. Marketing is a fluid subject today;
it is evolving and innovating at every turn. Staying ahead of
the marketing game seems like the last thing many entrepreneurs
get around to doing, but it is vital if one plans to expand past
the make break point.

How does the CEO of a company who's still trapped in the
endless cycle of looking for the next sale take time out to
market? Many business owners feel the pressure to make sure
their business turns a profit, their customers are well serviced
and their employees productive and happy � which begs the
question, "Who has the time to learn about direct mail
marketing, email marketing, Search Engine Optimization,
advertising and publicity campaigns? Let alone how to use them
effectively? "

Joy Gendusa, CEO of direct mail postcard marketing firm
PostcardMania, gives tips for unburdening the entrepreneur in
his/her quest for marketing lore:

�Get educated but on the proper level. Go to Barnes and Noble
or Borders and peruse the marketing section. Buy a few books on
marketing subjects and segments where you are unfamiliar, but
make sure it's not geared toward an experienced marketer or you
will only decide that it's all too complex.

�Another is to attend marketing seminars

and lastly,

�Look at the marketing tactics of one's competition � subscribe
to their online newsletter, get on their mailing/email list.
Often times, great marketing innovations can come from improving
what your competitor is already doing.

An interesting statistic that came from a survey of
entrepreneurs from various industries nationwide was that nearly
94% did not have a marketing plan and did not feel it was
important. (Ironically, they were surveyed at a marketing
conference!) Consequently, 99% of the attendees surveyed after
the conference realized the importance of having a marketing
plan and incorporating not just one, but several different
avenues of promotion for their businesses. Education being the
only change.

Gendusa believes there are certain marketing fundamentals that
once grappled with, will enable one to make an informed decision
based of the needs for one's particular business/industry � no
matter the new-fangled marketing approach. In fact, even though
Gendusa is the Founder of a direct mail postcard marketing firm,
she claims that in today's market, only one form of promotion
can be deadly. One source of leads can severely hurt income when
that source is not performing well; it's better to be
supplemented by other channels of promotion.

She was recently quoted in Broker magazine expounding on this
very principle alleging that direct mail should be an integral
part of every internet marketing campaign. Gendusa also
suggested other forms of marketing, not just direct mail, as
being essential in disseminating one's website, such as news
releases; business cards and letterhead; TV advertising and even
telemarketing scripts.

"There's no one silver-marketing bullet," stated Gendusa. "I
don't only use postcards to market. Sure, postcards were my
number one staple for my first three years in business but I
heavily use the internet, publicity, and email now, as well."

Entrepreneur Mike Burton of Slade Mortgage, Cape Cod,
Massachusetts agrees. He claims that keeping up with marketing
trends is ongoing. "Do it (marketing) in good times and bad,"
said Burton, "Don't stop when business is bad, kick it up more."
Mike has been utilizing direct mail marketing for four years and
says that by mailing 6000 direct mail postcards out consistently
every month, he has seen tangible returns income-wise.
Branding-wise, in his local community, people comment all the
time about receiving his mail. His other sources of advertising
are: local radio advertising, internet advertising and the
yellow pages. He believes that each form of marketing buoys the
other one and helps to create creditability.

In her quest to help entrepreneurs, Gendusa teamed with her
good friend Marsha Friedman, to launch marketing boot camps to
enlighten business owners on the constant advancement in the
marketing industry and assist them to learn, apply and use it to
their advantage. Friedman is the CEO of the national Publicity
and Advertising agency, Event Management Services, Inc.

Large corporations to small, new to ancient, one-man-band to
one-thousand staff � marketing paves the way to greater economic
expansion. It pays to know. The pay-off is growth.

About The Author: Karla Jo Helms is the Vice President Public
Relations for PostcardMania, (http://www.postcard mania.com)named
one of the fastest growing privately-owned companies by Inc
Magazine. For more information on Joy Gendusas' educational
seminars, visit http://www.powermar ketingmania. com

Article Source:  http://www.camelotarticles.com