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Edge has been asked to present a speaker session on marketing and branding at this year's Capturing Opportunities business and community forum taking place in Brandon, Manitoba, April 22nd and 23rd.

Individual entrepreneurs, growers, producers, rural leaders and community economic developers will all discover how to identify, access and use Manitoba’s business infrastructure to their advantage.
 
A stellar lineup of talented, international and local speakers, focusing on the theme: "Infrastructure - A Tool for Economic Development." The agenda features 5 renowned keynote speakers and a variety of workshops that will help rural businesses and communities to analyze how the future will impact rural communities and how to identify opportunities based on the infrastructure and assets that they have in order to grow into the future.

This two day conference includes a series of speaker sessions, awards, new local food product competition and gala dinner.

It continues to astonish and frustrate us on a seemingly daily basis when we get an e-mail communication from a sales person or business associate who does not include an e-mail signature. At first we thought this was a small business issue. A company that didn't have the marketing staff in place who would surely scream from the top of their cubicles to anyone in the company that didn't have an auto-signature as part of all of their e-communications. Upon further investigation, we realized that this serious overlook was not confined to just small business. National company representatives had their fair share of the sour cherry pie.

To be fair, we have seen many proactive and effective uses of signatures. Use it as a branding opportunity with your company's mission statement. Promoting achievements, accolades and events can also be included in a person's signature.

If your organization is lacking a marketing strategy that looks at the big picture and the small parts that make it up, Edge can help.

Whether in-house, outside or in the front of house, sales people need to be equipped with effective tools to build the business. As relevant as business cards still are today, differentiating yourself from your competition is key and a small 3" card can only go so far. True, people do business with people they like, but you must still prove yourself by providing all of the right answers upfront before the relationship official begins.

Let's just say right now, that a company's website is arguably the most important communication tool available, but if your prospect is not visiting it, it's not living up to its potential, or investment.

E-marketing is one component in the tool kit. Depending on your target market and the product/service you're offering, (selling a simple product that has a clear purpose vs. a complicated service where 3/4 of your effort goes into educating the prospect on why they can't live without it), e-marketing may or may not be the most effective way of selling.

As much as we at Edge embrace new technical advances in the selling process, we have not forgotten the time tested approaches either. Marketers continually look to ways of interacting with their target market. Receiving a "package" on your desk or in your mail where you can interact with whatever is being offered to you, is not to be underestimated.

Branding and traditional advertising also plays a role in the selling process. Seems obvious, however, we constantly run into situations where sales people are unsuccessful because the brand is not established. All sales tools need to reinforce the company brand. It comes back to: you work with people you know and like. Branding is a way to build that familiarity and trust.

Our philosophy is that no one tool is going to be a silver bullet. It really is the energy of all tools that work together to create that amazing synergy.

Need to create effective sales tools, Edge can help.

Public relations is an important mix in any marketing strategy. In the past, businesses didn't have many opportunities to be recognized in traditional forms of media. Now with the explosion of social media (blogs, twitter, linkedin, facebook, online news sites) it is much easier to get that all important 'editorial.'

Edge has been getting into the action with great results. The key is to choose your topic and tie it directly to the outlet's theme. For instance, write a press release or a completed article about a particular product or service that you offer a specific target market. To further penetrate the existing target, look to social media that is directed to them. If you want to break into new markets, use your previous success to create credibility within the new market.

Once you begin looking for opportunities, you may become overloaded. They are endless, however, many are not worth the effort. It is important to have a list of criteria to know where you're going to get the biggest bang. Being included within a company's blog, an association's website, or online news site in theory is great, but be sure it's the right environment and a well respected outlett in the eyes of your target.

If you find yourself needing a plan for tackling the ever-changing wall of social media, give Edge a call.

Robert Mensies, principal of Edge Business Strategies, is a finalist for the Manitoba Exceptional Young Professional Award.
The Future Leaders of Manitoba Council, with a mandate to recognize and reward exceptional young Manitobans for their dedication to the social and economic growth of our Province, will present three awards at this year's awards reception on January 28th.

Mensies is a finalist in the Business/Professional category for his commitment to the local clients he works with, his community involvement and resulting contribution to the Province's economy.

Canadian Hog Industry Continues Strong Marketing Campaign
Prairie Hog Country, December 2009/January 2010
- Harry Siemens


Last fall, Manitoba Pork Council engaged the services of Edge Business Strategies of Winnipeg to focus on building a sustainable future for the industry within Manitoba.
"To follow a critical path to sustainability and help break barriers between producers and non-producers, building an understanding and synergy so there is more support of the industry from non producers," is how Elizabeth Mitchell, Marketing Strategist for Edge described the process. "There are a lot of different aspects that move together to make that happen. It is involving the urbanites in Manitoba, producers, media, the public, education, universities and high schools."
Mitchell said the driver of change is people and by changing the attitude of the public, it will also help influence a government in Manitoba that hasn't always been kind to the industry.
"Everyone needs to have a better understanding of the industry, the importance of the economy to the province and the importance to the future of the province," she said. "To help drive the change we need to change the public's perception and we do that through making them aware of what the industry is all about."
The process is at the very beginning stages. "We are coming from a negative and we have to create a neutral ground first, and then move forward with key messages and working into a positive area," said Mitchell. "Since the industry is coming from such a negative area now, just the smallest things happening, we will see big changes right away.
Kelly Funke of Manitoba Pork Council said as most people associated with the pork industry know, it's not the best place at the moment.
"We hoping that some of our work in promoting our product locally grown and globally preferred will go a distance in helping producers," said Funke. "We also know we need to bridge the gap between the farm and city and some of the plans Edge has been working with us will go towards doing that."