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Marketing Matters: Expand Your Business Through Vertical Marketing
1 Mar, 2007 By: Harvey Goldglantz Pest Management ProfessionalVertical marketing is a great way to expand your current customer base. It is an underused, but immensely profitable marketing opportunity for pest management professionals (PMPs). Simply put, vertical marketing is the promotion of products or services to targeted industries, businesses or consumer segments. Messages catering to vertical markets typically:
- Are received more effectively;
- Carry more credibility;
- Are more cost-efficient; and
- Result in significantly fewer competitive influences.
Many potential customers are willing to pay more to vertical marketers because they possess special connections and are perceived to have unique credibility and knowledge of their products and services.
There are innumerable vertical markets that exist within the pest management industry. Let's look at just three of our major audiences:
VETERINARIANS, GROOMERS
This category exemplifies the power and opportunity that exists within a vertical market. Take a five-step approach to target this segment:
1. Prepare a brochure specifically for this market segment;
2. Advertise in trade journals;
3. Once you get an account, ask for a testimonial;
4. Go after similar accounts; and
5. Eventually, you will become a specialist in this market segment.
After the veterinarian or groomer becomes your customer, offer a professional courtesy discount for customer (patient) referrals. Now, watch your flea and tick jobs come rolling in.
RELIGIOUS GROUPS
Advertise in the newsletters or bulletins of local churches and synagogues. Offer to tithe back a percentage of revenue, in exchange for permission to solicit their congregation's database.
Advertising to Vertical Markets
Ask for personal endorsements from senior members of congregations. It will go a long way in building credibility and revenue.
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
If your customers (or prospects) include hospitals, nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities, there are a number of things you can do to
optimize interaction with this vertical marketplace, including:
- Make sure you have marketing materials targeting healthcare;
- Attend health fairs;
- Join trade organizations that cater to this industry;
- Seek testimonials from executives in this sector; and
- Advertise in healthcare newsletters and magazines, and offer readers special discounts.
PLAN TO PROFIT
Don't forget other untapped market-specific groups, like Realtors, unions, property management associations and the military, just to scratch the surface. But no matter which vertical markets you target, construct offers and marketing campaigns that are unique to the segments.
It's relatively easy to modify your promotional materials to be in synch with targeted vertical markets. Don't forget to seek and use targeted testimonials because prospects value input from their peers.
There are endless opportunities that exist in the vertical marketplace. Vertical marketing should be a part of every company's strategic marketing plan. The result of your efforts will be realized by growing revenue streams and enhanced profitability.
You can reach Goldglantz, president of Elkins Park, Pa.-based Pest Control Marketing Co., at 215-782-1150 or hgpcmcinc@aol.com.
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