Understand that marketing is not just about advertising; it is about the orientation of the whole enterprise in relation to competitors and selected markets.

Focus on Strategic Marketing before Operational Marketing (Marketing Communications).

Make sure that everyone understands that Strategic Marketing is the ‘big picture’ and the responsibility of the owner or senior managers. It involves decisions about which products and which markets are most important for the enterprise.

Ensure that Operational Marketing (Marketing communications) is derived from strategic marketing. Once the markets have been selected, we then need to communicate effectively with them.

Remember that marketing communication with customers should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Listen to customers and find ways for them to share their feedback and ideas.

Identify your competitive advantage. Ask not ‘What are we best at?’ but ‘What are we best at in relation to competitors?’. This will of course change over time, so needs to be monitored constantly.

Use the 3Ms of Marketing consistently to ensure precise communications with each market segment, using the right messages and choosing only the most appropriate media to deliver those messages.

Use social media only if it is indicated by the 3Ms of Marketing technique to be the best medium for particular messages and markets.

Emphasise customer benefits, not product features, in all marketing communications. This is only possible if we understand customers’ perspectives.

Make sure that everyone is involved in marketing, rather than leave it only to the ‘marketing department’. Understanding the market, competitors and customers’ changing needs is essential for the whole business and so everyone should be involved in marketing in its widest sense.