The relationship Biltcliffe previously mentioned with customers has helped to create a strong referral and selling strategy. “Talking about your ethos and the purpose of your business is also really important,” says Biltcliffe, who adds: “Every company is going through a series of challenges, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG), which is an element we have focused on helping customers with. “Even if there is no revenue attached to these conversations, it is important to discuss what is important to your customers, so that you can futureproof the relationship with your customers. As an industry we often focus on what our presses can do and shoehorn anything our clients want onto them rather than understanding the ‘why’ behind the order.” Biltcliffe explains that Webmart has invested a lot of its time in this strategy by listening to its customers. Discussing the various avenues businesses can take in regards to marketing, Biltcliffe emphasises that all channels are open. “LinkedIn is a great example of communicating with other businesses,” says Biltcliffe. “I’ve got 21,000 LinkedIn connections and it’s a great self-managing database which is free. Whatever your role is, you’re in sales, you’re always out there looking for new opportunities and ideas. “There is definitely a lot of differences with social media platforms, TikTok may not be suitable for one business, but LinkedIn certainly would be suitable for most.” Biltcliffe emphasises being open minded about the channels that you both listen and communicate through, especially as Twitter radically changes (for want of a better word) a new platform like Threads may work as a suitable tool for your business. Telling Your Story Over the past decade social media has become more and more relevant, with more businesses reporting that a large part of their business comes from social media channels. Many of these platforms can be ideally suited to the print, display, and décor sectors as it gives businesses the chance to showcase their products and services in a meaningful and effective way. A company that has witnessed this both itself and with its customers is Target Transfers, a UK supplier of garment decorating machines. Andy Rogers and Molly Harmon, marketing manager and senior marketing executive at the company, say: “We have found that our most successful customers are the ones that have evolved and embraced marketing within their business. The way that end-users want to be communicated to and the channels that hold their attention continue to change. “For print and textiles businesses, embracing marketing is essential for success. Some customers want to message you on Instagram or Facebook rather than call, so let them. We find that the more questions we can answer ahead of time, the better.” Target Transfers embraces a wide range of media types including video and audio, such as The Garment Decorators Podcast. The company’s approach demonstrates how companies are utilising multimedia channels to communicate their brand, whilst also making engaging content. Rogers and Harmon say: “Customers have a thirst for knowledge and will spend time doing their homework on bigger items. So, you need to provide content in the way they want to learn. Think about the platforms they use and not the ones you want to use. Are you doing virtual events? By having regular live events (every Friday lunchtime) we have regular conversations with customers new and old and help them make informed buying decisions every week. “Having a marketing strategy with its roots in education will enable us to engage on a deeper level with our customers. For existing customers, we add value by providing new ideas for product efficiencies and revenue streams. For example, we helped one of our customers save 55 working days per year, per operator. We then turned this into an education piece so that more customers could benefit from this efficiency hack. Our customers will not forget this.” Communicating stories or your brand is no easy task especially when working in a small team or trying to juggle day-to-day tasks. Many businesses will employ a dedicated marketing manager or PR specialist to help with this side of the business. Advising on the best way to navigate this, Copp says: “Work with PR specialists that know your industry and are willing to really get under the skin of your business ►Video content has become a big asset to businesses via social media like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok 95 September / October 2023 - Issue 344 www.printmonthly.co.uk BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES / MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS The IPA’s Bellwether Report states 36.6% of its respondants foresee greater total marketing spend in 2023/24 compared to 16.9% expecting cuts Factoid professionals are connected with Biltcliffe on LinkedIn 21,000
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