Marketing is defining who you are and establishing your position in the marketplace. This may sound like an easy task, but it seldom is.

Defining who you are means taking the time to understand your position and your competitors. What is your message? Are you the low-price leader? The innovator? The quality champion? Do you focus on customer service or are you more absorbed in new product development?. Of course, you may insist you are all of these things. But taking the time to understand your position is key to promoting your business.

 

 

 

One example: Nike v. Addidas footware. Experts generally acknowledge that Addidas manufactures a much better shoe for serious athletes. But Nike has cornered the market. How? They were first to capture the inner-city youth market by sponsoring high-profile rap artists. As a result, Nike holds 36% market share, while Addidas is struggling with 20% (even after acquiring Reebok).

Once you know who you are, the question becomes,"how will you let your customers know?" In addition to vigorous corporate branding through logos and corporate identity (the"swoosh" logo), Nike uses time tested marketing principals and an aggressive advertising and sponsorship campaign. But there's nothing to say that any business can't do the same.

Using an integrated marketing strategy that includes corporate branding, public relations, advertising, online strategies, and direct response, Vertical Ascent can achieve the results you are looking for and "take your business to the top."

 

 

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