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Lisa Shepherd

points—your messaging needs to address your target
market’s pains.
These exercises are the practical approach to developing an
effective marketing strategy. You should be able to present
your strategy in ten to fifteen PowerPoint slides—or six to nine
pages of text. If it’s longer, you need to continue refining it.
The hardest part of defining strategy for small and mid-size
B2B companies is saying “no” to some types of customers
and some potential opportunities. It’s difficult, but this
is where the value lies. For B2B companies with limited
marketing resources, it’s essential to dedicate sufficient
effort in the areas with the best potential. This doesn’t mean
you won’t accept business from customers who aren’t in
your target markets; it simply means you aren’t investing
resources to pursue them.

Want an example of a marketing strategy to guide you?
Download one from www.marketsmartb2b.com/resources.
Your strategy is the foundation for all your marketing activities.
However, it’s only the foundation. The next section will teach
you how to turn this foundation into effective marketing
actions.

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd