CGM blog: Balls to marketing

17 Nov CGM blog: Balls to marketing

There, I’ve said it. Marketing IS balls – or should be.

Why? Because the world is round, not square. The next time someone asks you to think outside the box, tell them to think circular.

Our strapline at CGM is all round communications – the services we provide are rounded, connected, coordinated and cohesive – designed to enable you to reach the next stage of your own business cycle and success story  – shaped so you progress, flexible because we appreciate businesses are at differing points of their development so we’re not trying to force a square peg into a round hole.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with proven experts in design, photography, video and media training,  as well as our background – media relations, to provide a rounded media marketing and communications service.

Thinking spherically means we can circumnavigate your business communications.

Balls and wheels gain momentum – kick a box and it collapses. Kick a ball and it gathers pace. It’s the snowball effect – and you want your business communications to roll, progress, drive forwards, get bigger.

Not that all marketing balls come in equal shapes and sizes – or are designed to achieve the same effect. That’s why you need to select which ones are right for you and at the right time.

Take sport – golf balls, footballs, tennis balls, table tennis balls, even medicine balls require different skills to shift them with effect. So why would standardised marketing techniques work for each and every business at every single time?

Sometimes you may need to take a big stick to it (e.g. a golf ball with a wood on a tee). At other times it may require more delicate (targeted marketing) finesse – putting a ball on the green.

So back to that business cycle then. When you’re starting out, you want big momentum. Developing your brand identity, setting up a website and social media marketing may be pretty important factors to smacking your business onto the commercial fairway (as long as you aim straight and don’t end up in the rough).

Once you’ve done some hard yards, found some clients, people recognise, know, like and do business with, you may want to do things that can build your reputation – good quality PR, PowerPoint presentations to help sell goods and services, quality newsletters, fresh photography, quality video, brush up that website etc.

When you’re really established, you may want to boost your profile and credibility – so what about making speeches involving your area of expertise or learning to become a media go-to guy – some media training may come in useful for this sort of personal development.

And finally, if you’ve built a truly successful business and want to keep it that way – how about telling your success story in print? Yep, a book – the best business card you’ll ever carry.

Thing is, wherever you are in the business cycle – we can help.

It’s spherical, cerebral thinking – all round communications – sensible long term business planning by bringing together the right services at the right time to suit your specific business cycle to achieve the momentum you need.

And it’s why we say balls to marketing.

Chris Green is CGM’s managing director and an award-winning author and journalist. CGM is an all round communications business proving media relations, media training, consultancy and coaching;  creative and publishing services to companies, business leaders and organisations.