The second in a series of blogs based on our awesome Geospatial Marketing Trading Cards.
Are you a surveyor who scrambles to post on social media at the last minute, goes months (or even years) without sharing a new blog post, or has a neglected list of newsletter subscribers receiving nothing but tumbleweeds?
You’re not alone. Heaps of geospatial professionals are stuck in a cycle of mad panicking when it comes to creating content, with no real plan or strategy. They’re unsure who they’re talking to, wasting precious time on inefficient, ad-hoc processes.
The result? Inconsistent messaging, missed opportunities and a whole lot of unnecessary stress.
Thankfully, there’s a better way. Enter – The Content Calendar. 🙌
1. Planning and consistency are the secret weapons of successful geospatial marketing
A well-organised content calendar keeps you on track, helps manage your workflow, and ensures your audience hears from you regularly across multiple touchpoints with content that matters to them. With free tools like Trello or Airtable, you can build a month-long content plan without spending a penny on expensive software.
2. When you plan ahead, pressure and overwhelm melt away
No more last-minute panic posting just for the sake of it. Your content quality will soar because you’ve given yourself enough time to structure and polish it. Even better, you can map out a full month of content in just a few hours, giving you more time to focus on your business.
3. A solid plan helps you get more mileage from your content
For example, an email newsletter can be repurposed into a LinkedIn newsletter, a blog post, and several social media posts. A focused social media campaign can be transformed into a blog post or an email series. Save time, reach more people and boost your marketing impact. A no brainer right?
You’ll still want to post ad-hoc content – and you still should. Reacting to breaking news, sharing updates from events, reposting mentions from customers/businesses/industry experts, or jumping on the latest trends. The best strategy is a combination of both: a pre-planned calendar for consistency (and all the other reasons above 👆), mixed in with spontaneous, on-the-ground posts. Best of both worlds!
Step 1. Define Your Goals
Before you start planning, decide what you want to achieve. Typical goals for geospatial businesses include:
Step 2: Set Up Your Calendar with Free Tools
We recommend Trello or Airtable (no, we’re not paid to say that – we just love them!).
Ooorrr, if you’re an Academy member, you get access to our ready-made Airtable planner.
Step 3: Plan Content Themes
Plot key dates like exhibitions or holidays into your calendar. This helps you create timely, relevant content and avoid wasting your best ideas during quiet periods.
Step 4: Fill Your Calendar
Add your best ideas to the planner. Some people like to block out a few hours and plan the whole month in one go; others prefer to do a week or a theme at a time. Find what works for you.
Elaine, for example, likes to focus and get it all done in one creative burst. But if inspiration doesn’t strike, she knows it just takes one good idea to get back on track!
Want some inspo? Take a look at our blog with 19 social media post ideas for Geospatial businesses and tons of tips.
Step 5: Schedule Your Content
Most social platforms and WordPress have built-in schedulers. Free tools like Meta Business Suite (for Facebook & Instagram) or LinkedIn’s post scheduler can help you post across multiple platforms. Paid tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social offer extra analytics if you need them, but they’re not essential for everyone.
Scheduling in advance keeps your content consistent, even during busy times. Let automation do the heavy lifting.
Step 6: Track Your Results
Monitor which posts and content types perform best and use those insights to refine your strategy. This helps you grow your audience and improve your marketing over time.
You now have everything you need to move from Panic Poster to Content Calendar Commander. Here’s a quick recap:
Or, if you’d rather make things even easier…
The Geospatial Marketing Academy includes plug-and-play content calendars and blueprints for success. Join our online course and learning community, and let us help you grow your geospatial business – guaranteed.
See what’s included and start your journey to stress-free, effective marketing today.
Elaine Ball Ltd: Raising the standard of geospatial marketing, one surveyor at a time.
The first in a series of blogs based on our awesome Geospatial Marketing Trading Cards.
We all know social media is essential for business marketing.
And we know that you do actually have to share content for it to be valuable. (Shame, I know…)
But for some reason, as soon as you click ‘create a post’ your mind goes blank. You’re staring at an empty white box having a blink-off with the text cursor, with absolutely no idea what to say.
Well, worry not, young geospatialer! We’ve put together the ultimate cheatsheet to transform you from Marketing Muggle to Social Media Post Wizard.
We’ll take you through:
1. The Video Post
My best-performing social media content is almost always videos. And despite what you might think, they’re one of the easiest to create.
I’m not kidding – this 48 second video got 100 likes, 12 comments, 4 reposts, and a whopping 4287 impressions!
Not a bad result for one minute’s work.
2. The Text Only Post
These can be hit and miss. Usually, visual social posts perform better, but if done right, text-only social posts can be really really valuable.
Try using some of these content frameworks to structure a text post:
Problem-Agitate-Solution
Before–After–Bridge
AIDA (Attention–Interest–Desire–Action)
3. The Poll
Polls are great for engagement, encouraging interaction and starting conversations.
Ask your audience a question, post a poll, or encourage them to share their thoughts.
Example:
What’s your go-to GIS software?
4. The Infographic Post
LinkedIn lets you upload PDF documents, which allows you to pack tons of information into your post in a clear and easy-to-digest layout.
You can create one-page infographics, or break down your message into bite-sized chunks with scrollable carousels like this one.
5. The Photo Post
In feeds that are washed with Canva templates and AI imagery, human content stands out.
Your team, your product, a recent project, your breakfast. Whatever it is, people want to see it.
Remember, people want to get to know the person behind the business – not the company itself. The thing that differentiates your business from Joe Blogs down the road is YOU.
Check the recommended size and orientation for the platform you’re posting on. You’ll start to know this by heart soon enough. But, annoyingly, platforms like to change this quite a lot.
Sprout Social is usually a good source for staying on top of optimum sizes for each platform.
If you’re posting the same file on multiple platforms, you may need to create multiple versions in different sizes and orientations – for example, a portrait Instagram Reel wouldn’t look good as a YouTube video.
Mix up the type of content you’re sharing to keep your feed varied and your audience engaged.
Use a combination of images, videos, infographics, articles, podcasts, PDFs, GIFs, etc etc etc!
If you’re clever about it – one piece of content can be utilised again and again.
For example:
Don’t let them leave without asking for their number!
Make sure your audience knows exactly what to do by providing a clear call to action. Do you want them to comment their opinion? Subscribe to your newsletter? Sign up for a webinar? Book a call?
Tell them how.
Over To You…
Whether you’re offering GIS solutions, remote sensing services, or data analysis, social media allows you to visually demonstrate the impact of your work, engage with potential clients, and create brand awareness.
Take what you’ve learned in this blog and kick things off by crafting your first 5 social media posts.
The Academy is jam-packed with self-paced and interactive content to help you master geospatial marketing.
Take a look here.
Let’s face it, in surveying, winning new clients can feel like fighting your way through a massive forest – full of potential, but also tangled with challenges. The good news is that, in both these scenarios, with a little planning and the right tools, you can forge a clear path.
Step 1: Know Thy Client (Before You Pitch Them on That Fancy New Total Station)
Ever heard the saying, “When you’re selling to everyone, you’re selling to no one?” That’s especially true in surveying. The first step to sales success is understanding your ideal client – their needs, their challenges, and the language they speak (both literally and figuratively). Are you targeting residential developers, government agencies, or massive construction giants? And do you know who’ll be signing off on your proposal within these organisations? You should because each organisation — and each person within it — has unique priorities and pain points. By creating buyer personas, you can tailor your approach and speak directly to their needs.
What is a persona? It’s a profile of your potential customer, including their role, their responsibilities, and (most importantly) the challenges that keep them up at night. A residential developer will have vastly different needs than a municipality. Both of these potential customers will have different purchase criteria than a telecom company. You should know what the pain points and barriers to sale for each of these entities are.
(And if you don’t know how to create a customer persona — or if you’ve never seen one — there are some great resources here and here! or you can check out this webinar by our buyer persona superstar, Hannah.)
Step 2: Charting the Course: How Marketing Paves the Way for Sales
Think marketing and sales are separate islands? Not a chance! Marketing is the friendly cartographer, meticulously mapping the customer journey. By understanding the different stages – awareness, interest, desire, and action – or, the points along the customer decision journey, if you prefer — you can create targeted content that educates, engages, and ultimately positions you as the trusted surveying expert. Create blog posts that answer common questions, case studies showcasing your expertise, or even social media content that highlights the coolest surveying tech (because let’s face it, there’s some seriously cool tech out there!). Need some inspiration? Check out our recent blog to see what some of the industry’s top influencers are posting.
Step 3: Streamlining Your Sales Funnel: No More Dead Ends!
Let’s be honest, the sales process can get bogged down faster than your fully-loaded truck on a muddy side road. That’s why streamlining the funnel is key. Think checklists, automated workflows, and clear qualification criteria. This ensures you’re focusing on the most promising leads and frees up valuable time to close those deals.
We recommend using a CRM if your business has dedicated business development or sales reps. There are loads of great free and affordable options out there, and it’s easier than ever to find one that can grow (affordably) with your business. (G2 is a great tool for researching solutions, So is Capterra.)
Step 4: Closing the Deal with Confidence (and Maybe a Touch of Swagger)
Closing the deal is the ultimate goal, but it shouldn’t feel like arm wrestling. The secret lies in mastering the art of qualification – understanding their needs, identifying potential roadblocks, and demonstrating how your services are the perfect solution. Think of yourself as a translator, bridging the gap between their problems and your expertise. (Our resident expert, Paola, wrote a whole article on this.)
Step 5: Level Up Your Sales Team: Building a Dream Team of Surveying Superstars
Your sales team is your secret weapon. Equipping them with the right knowledge and skills is essential. Invest in training programs, encourage knowledge sharing within the team, and celebrate their successes. A motivated and well-equipped sales team is a powerful force that can propel your business to levels of growth you never dreamed possible.
So there you have it! It’s not a quick and easy solution, but building out and streamlining your sales process will be well worth the effort. With a deeper understanding of your buyers’ needs, a strategic marketing approach, a defined and seamless sales process, and a well-trained sales team, you’ll be closing more deals faster than you can say “photogrammetry!” (…which I can’t say quickly at all, but you get my meaning!)
Now get out there and conquer that forest!
Watch our webinar and learn:
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In the world of sales, one crucial step often determines success or failure> What is that step? Qualifying your buyer.
Why waste time pitching a deal or talking about your offer if you aren’t even speaking to the right prospect? If you’re talking to the wrong person, you’ll never meet their needs or solve their problems. Having the best offer will never get you the sale if they don’t need your product or service.
Qualifying the buyer is key.
To save you time and potential heartache, here are some tips to help you get more sales for your survey business:
“Those who ask questions control the conversation.” This rule is applicable to any conversation — especially within the sales process. You have to make sure you are asking the right questions so you can get the answers that will qualify your buyer and place them in the right bucket.
What are some of those questions? They’re questions like these:
These questions will all lead you to the BANT framework, a sales qualification method that relies on four key factors: Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeframe. Using this framework upfront will prevent you from wasting time on the wrong prospects.
Remember that people care most about themselves. Yes, that sounds a bit coarse, but trust me — asking the right questions and making sure you are actively listening to your prospect will show them that you care. Successful sales rely heavily on building rapport with your potential clients and this will result in trust. People are more likely to make a big purchase or agree to ongoing services from someone that they trust.
Qualifying your prospects is not just a box to tick in the sales process; it’s the key to creating a successful and efficient strategy. By investing time in understanding the BANT criteria, actively listening to your prospects and building trust, you can significantly improve your chances of converting leads into satisfied customers. The art of sales lies not just in closing deals but in the ability to identify and prioritize the prospects that are the best fit for your offerings.
Why aren’t you investing in training for your marketers? Blurb from me, Elaine on why owners and directors are harming their company and how to stop it!
You only know what you only know. Yesterday the team and I went through storybrand BrandScript, a fabulous exercise we deliver with our clients and on ourselves. The StoryBrand BrandScript gives us a tool to clarify the messaging of a brand, product, service, or organisation, which then empowers us to create marketing materials that are unique to the product or business.
The exercise highlighted the key problems owners and marketers are facing – at both survey firms and geospatial equipment OEMs and resellers.
(If you haven’t done one, talk to us – it’s an amazing way to discover what makes your business different. And that can help you build marketing that resonates.)
What I learned – although it came out of our StoryBrand exercise – has less to do with StoryBrand and more to do with our Geospatial Marketing Academy. Here’s the tale:
One of our clients is the director at an OEM. One of the underlying problems he and his team have is their frustration with their marketer.
Why are they frustrated with the marketer they’ve hired? They think the marketer should know their shit! Why should he spend more money on training when it already costs £30k GBP/ $60K USD for their salary? Surely this marketer should already know how to produce the right marketing materials to drive leads and sales!
You see, they’re considering purchasing a license to GMA to guide the marketer in their role. The director is thinking to himself, “I shouldn’t be paying for a marketer to learn marketing! They should know this already!” So in his mind, it’s not worth the investment.
On the contrary, the marketing manager may be keen to enrol in GMA to further their education, but they’re (rightly) worried to ask for the budget.
The conundrum here is two-fold. The director is missing something vital: hiring a marketing person from outside the industry means they don’t have specific industry knowledge. They don’t know the audience or the terminology, so they certainly don’t know what resonates or works! In GMA, we teach that through case studies.
And if the marketer comes from within the industry, are they qualified or savvy enough to generate organic leads from content marketing? Do they have the writing or social media skills to parlay their industry knowledge into shareable content?
The Geospatial Marketing Academy was built because I found myself delivering workshops over and over again in lockdown. There was an “A-ha!” moment when I realised how many people would benefit from this specialised marketing knowledge. It wouldn’t just benefit directors of equipment sellers – it could also help folks like owners of smaller survey businesses and those tasked with the marketing who may or may not have experience.
Bottom line: If you want better marketing for your business, whether you’ve hired from within the industry or externally (or if you’ve tasked your admin with marketing) invest in training when it’s needed.
Trade shows and conferences are invaluable opportunities for surveying and geospatial businesses to showcase expertise, network with industry peers, and gather promising new leads. (see 10 things to check before you go to a trade show!) However, the real work begins after the event, during the crucial follow-up stage. Effective follow-up strategies can significantly impact conversion rates and ultimately drive business growth.
Time is of the essence when it comes to follow-up. Aim to reach out to prospects within a day or two of the event, while your business and the interactions are still fresh in their minds. Reach out to the key prospects ASAP with a personal email or phone call.
Don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach with your follow-up emails. If your business offers multiple services, make sure you take notes so you know which leads are interested in each service. This way, you can tailor your follow-up messages to each prospect based on the conversations you had at the event. When you call or email those top prospects, reference specific discussions or pain points they shared to demonstrate that you were paying close attention and that you understand their needs.
Sharing is caring, so show prospects you care by sharing additional insights, resources, or content that aligns with their interests or challenges. This could include case studies, whitepapers, or webinar invitations relevant to their pain points. Position yourself as a trusted advisor by providing valuable information that helps prospects solve problems or make informed decisions – without being too sales-y.
Don’t settle for just email. Propose follow-up meetings or calls to dive deeper into your prospect’s needs and discuss potential solutions. Be as flexible as possible with scheduling to accommodate their availability and demonstrate your commitment to their success. And, by the same token, spend more of the first call listening than talking. Learn about their business, their concerns, and the problems you may be able to solve. It helps to understand the challenge they face and its significance before offering a solution.
Connect with the people you met at your conference on platforms like LinkedIn to continue the conversation beyond the initial follow-up. Share relevant industry insights, articles, or company updates to stay top-of-mind and showcase your expertise in the field.
Be sure to keep track of all follow-up interactions and engagements. If you have a CRM system (and there are loads of free ones out there) use that, but a spreadsheet can also work (especially with one of these CRM templates). Track email opens, clicks, and responses to gauge prospect interest and tailor future communications accordingly. And monitor your social accounts too! People may message you directly or request a call in comments – you never know!
Not every lead will be a good one – at least, not right away! Some of the prospects you meet might fit your customer profile perfectly, but they’re not quite ready to buy. When you notice that 90% of your email recipients aren’t even opening your emails, it’s time to change course.
Effective follow-up strategies are essential for businesses to capitalize on the leads generated from trade shows and conferences. By prioritizing promptness, personalization, value, and ongoing engagement, you and your marketing team (or, you, wearing your marketing hat) be able to cultivate strong relationships with prospects and increase their chances of conversion. Remember, the follow-up process is not just about closing deals; it’s about nurturing long-term connections and fostering trust within the industry.
Need help? Contact us to schedule a consultation!
Running a geospatial business of any kind isn’t meant to be easy, but it shouldn’t be terrible either. I see how many of you struggle, busting your balls for minimal profits, working all hours of the day, night, and weekends…
It shouldn’t be this hard, guys. And it doesn’t have to be.
Let’s make 2024 your best business year ever. I’ve compiled a bunch of tips to help you start the year off right so you can grow your business, business work less, and earn more!
Does that sound like a pie-in-the-sky idea? It’s not. Once you know what to do, you’ll see that it’s not so hard to run your business efficiently, effectively, and profitably.
Let’s get started.
In marketing, it’s absolutely imperative to know the audience you’re marketing to. Are you trying to connect with business owners, government employees, or, if you’re a reseller, surveying firms and construction contractors? Before you write your first email or social media post, you need to understand everything about these potential buyers. You should be able to answer each of these questions:
If you’ve been in business for a while, you probably know all the answers to these questions, but it’s worth writing them down and creating customer profiles, or buyer personas. Create a document for each persona, and refer to them when you need to interact with them.
There are a number of things you should be making abundantly clear to your audience without them ever having to ask. As soon as your prospective customers see anything on LinkedIn, in their inbox, at a conference, or wherever about your business, they should know right away:
This step is also the foundation for building your brand, which is more than having a neat logo. In fact, if you don’t have a neat logo, do this step, then (if you have a budget) hire a designer and give them this messaging document so they can design a logo that truly reflects your business.
Action item: Create a document that answers all these questions. Then, make a checklist so that you can be sure all of your emails, posts, ads, and other communications answer them before anyone has to ask.
Bonus tip: Struggling with this part? Our friend Pam has a great template that will help you pull things together.
Gold star: While you’re building your messaging, take a crack at writing your mission, vision, and value statements, too. These may seem like silly things but trust me – when your customers see a framed mission statement on the wall that says you’re committed to delivering the best quality work, on-time, under budget, and with the most accurate equipment on the market – it will make a difference. You may find your team also feels more invested and engaged.
(Note that it’s CRITICAL to complete step one before starting step two. Seriously.) Create or commission a professional website showcasing your services, past projects, and client testimonials. If you’re hiring an agency or freelancer, make sure they follow SEO best practices so that search engines find and rank your site!
Honestly, this is not something we recommend you do on your own – or something you have your web-savvy teenaged nephew handle for you. We get that websites can be expensive, but if there’s one place you should invest some marketing budget, this is it. Your website is your front door. It’s the first view most people get of your business. Make sure you’re making a good impression.
And, ask around. You probably know someone who knows someone who does great websites for a reasonable fee.
Bonus tip: We confess that we don’t actually know this company, but they do have a clear and comprehensive list of website must-haves that’s worth the quick read!
If you follow me on social, you KNOW I walk the walk on this one! Social platforms are not only a great way to stay in touch with contacts you already have, they also allow you to build a following and make new contacts! Using platforms like LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok can help you find and build new audiences of potential customers.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to write whole essays or shoot feature films every day! Upload a pic from your phone with a caption. Share an interesting industry news item with your perspective. Do what I do and take a quick video with a fresh idea or tip for your customers – or just introduce your new office manager. It doesn’t have to be rocket science – it just has to be friendly and genuine. And sharing helpful tips – like your holiday hours or a reminder that it’s the last day for $1 coffee at McDonald’s? Those are always appreciated.
You know I tend to post multiple times every day, but don’t feel pressured to do that out of the gate! Start with 2-3 times per week and try to build up to five or more.
Bonus tip: Have someone on your team learn Canva or Snappa. These online tools help turn your social posts into little works of art, quickly and easily. Both have tutorials (Canva’s is here, Snappa’s is here) and both offer free versions.
You know this one’s important. You need to meet new people to make new connections. Going to events like GeoWeek or INTERGEO is a great idea, but even if you don’t have the budget to travel, you can attend local business events, trade shows, and industry conferences. Joining a local service organization or Chamber of Commerce can expand your network, too, leading to partnerships, referrals, and new opportunities.
Bonus tip: Did you know that you can network virtually, too? LinkedIn has all kinds of groups, and you may be able to find one that connects you directly to the people you need to meet to grow your business.
In marketing, it’s often said that “Content is King.” (Of course, here at EBL, “Content is QUEEN!”) Content is the fuel that powers your marketing engine. To summarize, you need to provide valuable content like whitepapers, guides, or webinars on topics that help solve problems for your audience. This helps to demonstrate your expertise and attracts potential clients. (Different content works at different stages of the sales cycle, as you’ve seen in this image we’ve shared in a previous post – and will likely share again!)
Remember tip #3, about social media? This is how it fits into the big picture. Content should attract people, grab their attention, and make them want more! Post your captivating content, write blogs for your website (or find a writer to help you), and use these smart tips so that Google loves them and makes them easy for your audience to find. As mentioned before, make your content practical and helpful. It can be as simple as the best lunches to pack for days in the field, or as complex as tips to calibrate your robotic total station.
You’ve no doubt seen our monthly webinars on LinkedIn or in your inbox. These are lead magnets for our business. This is longer content that I offer to you (much like this article) to help solve your pain point. My goal is to successfully help you navigate the marketing world in a way that best aligns with what you do – saving you a ton of time and money, and hopefully resulting in a fatter bank account.
You need to do the same for your leads and prospects.
They have a problem and they need your help solving it. If you can help them solve that problem – or at least point them in the direction of a solution, you can build trust and goodwill. Here are some ideas that might work for land surveyors:
If you’re an equipment reseller, it’s always smart to offer how-to videos, product comparisons, and spec sheets for downloads.
With any of these offerings, the key is to “gate” the content. That is, ask your visitors to complete a short form in exchange for your content. It’s important to only ask for the information you need, like the person’s name, the company they work for, and their email address.
Once your prospects complete the form, they should be added to your database. This will happen instantly depending on how your website is set up and if you have a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, or you can manually add their names to a spreadsheet. You should then send these interested people – via email – focused content including tips, tricks, and other information that addresses their problems and provides solutions! The aim is to build and nurture the target market so it all turns into moolah (money).
By directing these new leads toward the solution to their problem, you are building trust and equity. They may not be ready to become customers yet, but when they are, you’ll be the one they call.
The overall process can be long, although there is the occasional short turnaround sale. So have a plan, stick to it, and by all means, tweak it. But be patient!
I like to look at content along the marketing-to-sales process in three phases, during which I ask these important questions:
This formula works, and you can make it work better. Once you have a few new customers, look back at how they found you, which content pieces they read, downloaded, and followed, and start again with new prospects or refreshed content. Refine, review, and optimize, and pretty soon, you’ll have an easily repeatable process.
It sounds simple when I put it like that, but I do this stuff in my sleep! It’s my world! That’s why I want to share it with you. Process leads to money.
Between the leads you’ve gained from networking and the ones you’ve captured online with your lead magnets, you’re building a contact database. But if you don’t stay in touch with them, they’re bloody useless. Go back to the nurture process I detailed for you above, and create a series of nurture emails for everyone you’ve added to your database.
Have we essentially packed an entire post-graduate course on marketing into one blog post?
Yes, sort of.
We know it’s a lot, but there are a lot of resources out there to help you – including the Geospatial Marketing Academy, the only marketing training resource that’s just for geospatial industry professionals! You can also rely on sites like MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute to help you stay updated on marketing trends, technological advancements, and changing customer needs. Adapt your marketing strategies accordingly to stay competitive.
Remember, consistency and persistence are key in marketing efforts. Experiment with different strategies to see what works best for your business and adjust your approach accordingly.
And of course, get in touch if you have any questions!
My word this year: “Simplicity”
As we step into 2024, the mantra ‘Embracing Simplicity’ isn’t just a quaint notion; it’s a vital strategy for marketers everywhere who work for geospatial-based businesses.
In a world brimming with complexity and constant change, we often find ourselves caught in a whirlwind of sophisticated tactics and tools.
However, this pursuit of complexity can lead us to lose sight of what truly matters: Connecting with our audience in a meaningful and effective way.
I know I have — and this is why ‘Simplicity’ is on my mind for 2024.
The essence of simplifying our marketing lies in stripping away the unnecessary and focusing on the core elements that drive real results. This thought-provoking journey invites us to reconsider our approach and ask ourselves what can be minimised, automated, or eliminated. By doing so, we uncover the purest form of our marketing message, one that resonates more deeply with our audience.
Simplifying doesn’t mean being simplistic; it’s about:
In the intricate world of surveying, where precision and accuracy are paramount, the idea of ’embracing simplicity’ in marketing might seem counterintuitive at first glance.
Surveyors, by nature, deal with complex measurements and data to provide critical information for construction, planning, and design. So it’s not surprising that the marketing side of surveying often gets bogged down in technical jargon and complex campaigns that can alienate potential clients rather than draw them in. This is where the power of simplicity can transform our approach.
My message aims to navigate the landscape of marketing within the surveying profession, demonstrating how a simplified strategy can enhance engagement, increase understanding, and ultimately drive business growth.
Here’s how we can apply the simplicity mantra:
Want to learn more about how to simplify your marketing to drive better results? Join Paola and me on 24 January for a free webinar (with live Q&A) on How to Nail Your Marketing in 2024 and Make It Your Best Year Ever. Sign up here
Recently, I met Fred. I like him; he’s chatty and frank. Unfortunately, he’s also struggling like a lot of surveyors.
Fred made over £1 million in revenue this year – with less than a 1% profit margin. He’s burnt out and understandably frustrated. Can you imagine how many hours he’s invested to bring that million in?
He’s spent a fortune on expensive survey equipment so he can keep up with industry trends. He’s got a team to pay. But he’s had to lower his prices to stay competitive in his market. And he’s doing all the back-office work himself to keep his business afloat.
Busting his balls is having a knock-on effect on Fred.
Are you all working like maniacs to reap so little reward from all that effort? I think many of you do.
Here’s why: You, like Fred, are great at the work of surveying, but you’re not clued up on how to run a business profitably.
Not that Fred’s dumb. He’s not, and neither are you. He just lacks the business acumen to support his passion and turn it into money. It’s a different skill set – and it can be learned. The keys? Sales and marketing.
Working with surveyors and equipment manufacturers around the globe has given me a unique perspective on how businesses are run within the geospatial realm. What I see is a lack of understanding around sales and marketing, and often an alarming lack of concern – or even an all-out disparagement – for these two critical functions.
In Fred’s case, there was no disrespect for sales and marketing, just a bit of misunderstanding around their roles and significance.
I explained to Fred the function of marketing, and he had a genuine light bulb moment:
“So, Marketing gets leads for sales?”
“Yes,” I responded.
“Then what does sales do?” he asked.
“Sales turns the lead into money,” I told him.
“How does all this work, then?” he asked
Here’s what I told him: Marketing’s role is to open the door for sales. It’s about getting to the sale as fast as possible. At the end of the day, it’s about the revenue.
If you think about how a customer decides to make a purchase – especially a higher-ticket purchase – it’s not usually something that happens quickly. With B2B purchases in particular (for example, purchases from geospatial businesses) these decisions can take six weeks (or more!) to make, and they often involve quite a few people.
Marketing owns up to 80% of that decision-making process. It’s marketing’s role to understand what the customer needs, and then make them aware of how your service can meet that need.
(We would actually consider this a Buyer’s Journey, not a Customer Journey but we’ll discuss that in a later post! Image source)
Marketing may use research to really understand the audience’s concerns, then create campaigns and content that help educate them about why your solution is the best solution. Essentially, marketing needs to find the audience, communicate the value of your offering, and then engage with potential customers via email, social media, advertising and other channels – and get the audience “warm” enough for sales to take over.
Sales deals directly with the customer and handling late-stage communications, like price negotiations, product or service demos, or creating a proposal. Their role is converting the lead or prospect into a sale.
Here’s an example of how this should work, but often falls apart: Marketing hosts a webinar and invites your target audience to attend. The webinar is designed to highlight whatever it is your business does better than anyone.
50 people attended the webinar, and these are now warm leads. They were interested enough to sign up and sit through an hour of your great content.
But so many of you won’t follow up on these leads! You let them go cold and even die instead of sending them a follow-up email or two, or calling after the webinar to see how they liked it.
Those leads need follow-up! Send them a few emails in the weeks following the webinar. Send a link to the webinar playback, a check-in to see what they’d like the next webinar to be, an offer to meet for a consultation. But follow up!
Ideally, marketing handles the follow-up and then hands the warm leads off to sales for a more personalized touch-point. With a proper follow-up, those 50 webinar leads could lead to new contracts for your geospatial business.
Do you see how you’re making things harder for yourself?
Stop doing that! There are lots of ways to improve your business operations, but handling sales and marketing properly will deliver the biggest bang for your buck in the shortest time. You can watch this case study to see how it can make a difference.
And if you want to start handling marketing and sales better in-house, reach out to us to learn more about The Geospatial Marketing Academy and get yourself – and your team – trained so you can elevate your game.