Six Steps to Redefine Your Target Market

Posted on by Mike Dunlap

Who is Your New “Best” Customer?

What to do when your current customers are negatively impacted by the economic state and they no longer need or can afford your services

Between oil prices and the pandemic, some businesses have been turned upside down.  Our best customers are no longer our best customers, they have been greatly impacted by either or both of these major economic bombs.  For our businesses to survive, we now have to figure out how to identify a new target market, also known as our best prospects and customers.

We will be discussing in detail the six steps to redefine your target market. Those steps consist of identifying second and third tier prospects and customers, creating your list, researching industry classifications, identifying patterns, researching similar companies that match patterns, and building a list based on research findings.

Let’s start by thinking about who our second or third best customer was prior to the drop in oil prices or the pandemic.  In doing this, focus on who these customers are by identifying what industries they might be in. For example, many of our customers are in different industries and are B2B with us as we perform marketing research services for them.  This exercise is not impactful if all of your best customers are inside the same industry.  Think in terms of “best customers” by different industry types.

My suggestion is to look into your current customer list and flag those second and third tier customers, ideally less impacted by our current state of the economy.  Once flagged, create a list of these accounts and include their address, city, and state.  With this information you are able to research their industry classification.  Document industry classification for each and you might start seeing a pattern of industry segments.  It is helpful but not critical to see patterns.

If you’re starting to see a pattern that you trust; next, think about refining your new target market.  Most common ways to refine include adding annual revenue and/or employee counts into the equation.  Geography might also be helpful.  Once you have captured all the necessary data, your final step will be to match other companies that mirror the final product of your research.

If you do not immediately see a pattern, consider adding more customers to your research list.  Or, you might find that you have a broader profile of customers.  When this is the case, often it becomes helpful to tighten up your requirements by making sure other elements are included in the search.  Often these include annual revenue, number of employees and geography, the same as above.  These elements are important in broad profiles because they allow you to make best efforts at zeroing in on your potential customer a bit more.

The final step is to build a new list of potential prospects based on the research work just done.  There are several list tools available to do this or Dunlap Marketing will be happy to do it for you.  The result is you have a spreadsheet of new prospect companies.  Now its time to reach out and promote the message of who you are and why these prospects should consider your products or services.  At this point you have adjusted your business based on world events, and you are on your way to making new “best” customers.

How to Restart Your Business Now

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

Written by Audrey Tuttle

We are living through a remarkable time that will go down in the history books and be studied through generations to come. The Coronavirus will not only be remembered for its immediate effect on humanity, but also for its destructive impact on our economy and business structures as a whole. It would be a powerful statement to explain to your business partners and to future generations that during this historic event, your business not only survived the wrath of the Coronavirus but it thrived in its aftermath. Don’t wait, restart your business now!

As businesses are reopening and trying to settle themselves into their pre-Corona state, there is no better time to ensure the success of your company. Dunlap Marketing’s Recovery Program will do that and more.

With our extremely affordable Recovery Program options, you will have the opportunity to work with the successful team at Dunlap Marketing who has been working with companies like yours since 1996. We will provide a four-month prospecting and appointment setting program as well as outbound prospecting phone calls with permission-based email follow-ups. We will take care of your recovery needs and put your business back on track towards success.

“Each day you don’t prospect is a day in the future you don’t have anything to sell.”

Mike Dunlap, President

Provided by Dunlap Marketing:

  • 24 years of knowledge and experience in B2B appointment setting and B2B lead generation services
  • Onsite and ongoing management supervision of your campaign – all work is performed in our Houston office
  • Staff members are W2 employees of the company who have an average of 12+ years of appointment setting and lead generation work
  • Assistance in developing an effective call message (script)
  • All campaign programming, setup, and development work

This program is only being offered for a limited time, so take advantage of this great deal while it lasts. Not only are you able to choose which of the three recovery options is the best fit for your needs, you also get the bonus of 25% off normal pricing with each of the programs.

Your business’s success will be an affirmation to your customers and competition on your ability to face adversity. Be the business that goes down in the history books, not as the company that fell apart from this unfortunate virus but the one that pushed past the challenge and flourished in its existence. The future of your business depends on the choices you make today, make the right choice and check out Dunlap Marketing’s Recovery Program. We look forward to working with you.

For questions or inquiries, contact us online. Or, reach out to Mike Dunlap at miked@dunlapmarketing.com, 281.496.9870 x 140 or Kaitlin Dunlap Cuevas at kaitlind@dunlapmarketing.com, 281.496.9870 x 180.

Working From Home Tips

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

With COVID-19 among us, many Americans, and people around the world, are being asked to work from home for the upcoming weeks. While working remotely is a luxury many Americans are accustomed to, it’s uncharted waters for others.

The following four tips are suggestions on how to be most productive when taking your work from the office to your home.

  1. Create a work environment – If working remotely is new for you, your first step is to create an environment that is set up for productive work. Not only will this help you to be more productive while working at home, it will also help you to maintain a balance between work-life and home-life. That means getting off of your sofa and to a desk. If you don’t have a desk, try your kitchen counter or dining room table. Think about the tools you typically use while at the office and make sure they’re with you at your workspace. Your computer, pens and paper, a calculator, a printer, a cup of coffee, etc. Once you have created this space, try to isolate it to only being used for work.
  2. Avoid distractions – Distractions come in the form of your family’s group text thread, the television, kids running through the house, or a pile of laundry. Some distractions are easier to avoid than others, so keep your focus on the distractions that are in your control. Start by ensuring your work environment is as distraction-free as possible. Pick a room the kids never go in, turn off the television, and put your phone aside. Minimizing distractions helps signal to your brain that it’s time to work, not play.
  3. Write a to-do list – To help keep yourself on track with work, write down a list of the things you want to accomplish. Then, check them off as you go. This list will not only help to keep you focused, but it will also be a way to encourage yourself by seeing everything you have already finished. When you have your to-do list, set mini-goals that encompass the tasks you want to check off by a certain time. For example, maybe you want to check three things off your list before taking a break for lunch.
  4. Take breaks – There’s no denying that working from home can be challenging. Instead of fighting the urge to work a straight eight hours at home, allow yourself some breaks. Once you’ve checked off a few items on your to-do list, give yourself some time to check the news, reply to text messages, or FaceTime a friend. Once you’ve taken your break, get back to your to-do list. Check off a few more tasks, then go make a fresh pot of coffee, fold the pile of laundry, or watch a show with your kids. The key here is taking a break, then getting back to work. If getting back to work after a break is difficult for you, try a technique like the Pomorodo Technique, which implements the use of a timer.

Whether you’re experienced or unaccustomed to working from home, we hope these tips are helpful for you.

Telemarketing Tips, From The Pros – Part 4

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

Have you checked out Telemarketing Tips, From the Pros – Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 yet? If not, go catch up before continuing with this article!

The team members at Dunlap Marketing are telemarketing gurus. Did you know that on average, our staff has 12 years of experience making business calls? Generating leads and scheduling appointments inside various business sectors is how we spend our time – and we don’t want to brag, but we’re pretty darn good at it.

We have reached the finale of the Telemarketing Tips, From the Pros series. To wrap up, our team will share tips on closing out a cold call conversation, along with some miscellaneous BONUS TIPS!

Closing Out a Cold Call

Regardless of the outcome of your call, these are tips you can utilize during your cold calling journey. Keep in mind that your prospect was not waiting at their desk for you to call – this mentality should stay at the front of your mind all the way to “goodbye”.

  • If you’ve agreed upon the next steps with the prospect, such as scheduling an appointment, be sure to verify the date, time, and address (if applicable).
  • Always be professional and polite. A call should end as pleasantly as it started – thank the prospect for their time, even if you didn’t schedule an appointment.

BONUS TIPS

  • Keep a positive attitude and don’t allow yourself to get discouraged by “no” – each “no” is one call closer to your next “yes”!
  • Set daily goals for yourself. If you don’t reach your goal, remember that everyone has bad days sometimes.
  • Only schedule quality appointments – two quality appointments are better than five mediocre appointments.
  • Be alert and speak with confidence. Be prepared to quickly get to the point of your call and to answer potential questions.