What made you want to go into marketing? It’s fun! I like that marketing is part formula and part creative. I like that marketing has a clear purpose – it helps drive business. I love working with graphic designers, writers, photographers, printers and other resources I can bring to the table.
What is a “market builder” and why is it important? Market building refers to building/developing/growing a market, whether the “market” is a new audience segment, a new product or service to launch, or a geographic region.
Why did you choose this business? There are great advertising and marketing firms in the area but my niche is working with clients that don’t have the desire, the need, or the budget for a typical agency.
What has been your greatest achievement so far? One project I’m particularly proud of was saving a client many thousands of dollars by suggesting that before putting a dealer support program in place, they let me conduct research with the dealers themselves. Turns out that what they had planned to provide was not what the dealers wanted at all. We developed a new plan that delivered just what they wanted and in the end, was far less costly.
What is most rewarding about being in marketing? Results! It’s very satisfying to know I had a hand in helping organizations grow and be profitable by knowing what their customers want and need, then helping the client deliver on that. Knowing your audience is key.
What challenges have you faced in with your business? Working largely by myself can be a challenge. I miss the camaraderie and energy that one gets from working within a group. Luckily, I have a network of brilliant people to call on when I need a boost in brain power.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently? I wish I had never stayed in a job that didn’t make me happy.
Do you have any advice for future entrepreneurs? Write a business plan! There are plenty of templates to follow online or in business libraries and writing a plan forces one to answer a lot of tough questions. Whether the plan is ever presented to someone (a bank, for instance) is not as important as simply making sure you’ve thought everything through.
What does Marguerite Moore Marketing entail? Marguerite is an accomplished professional with expertise in strategic planning, marketing program development and management, project management, media planning, events management, web content and production supervision.
Her skills, which include leadership, research, product introductions, branding, positioning, advertising, sales support, incentive programs, trade show support, direct mail and more are complemented by those of a network of select copywriters , graphic designers, photographers, e marketers and web developers. This ‘virtual company’ allows her to involve just the right talent for a given job without the high-overhead costs of a traditional marketing agency. She offers a variety of working arrangements, from serving as a non-staff marketing director with responsibility for handling the entire effort, to assisting individuals in in-house marketing departments who need additional help only now and then.
Why choose Marguerite Moore Marketing over a less expensive service? I once had a very successful business man challenge me when I said, early on, that I was less expensive than an agency. I’ve never forgotten his saying that if the best I could offer was that I was cheap, I wouldn’t get very far.
In reality, however, cost is an advantage I offer. I have a tremendous amount of experience but because I am not employed by a marketing/advertising firm, I am able to work at about half the hourly rate than their staff can.
What did you do before you started Marguerite Moore Marketing? I’ve been lucky to have worked in marketing for some great companies and I value all that I learned there.
What do you think is unique about the Grand Rapids market? I think we offer great talent for a city our size. The office furniture industry contributed to that in a huge way beginning in the ’80s. They had the budgets and the desire for great work and that attracted top notch people.
What trends are we likely to see with ‘market building’ in the future? Social media and other electronic communication vehicles will continue to change how organizations market themselves.
How have you found most of your customers? Word of mouth.
What has been your most interesting project? They’re all interesting!
What are your goals for the future? To continue to help others be successful. Sounds corny, but that’s it.
[…] remarks. But I became distracted with other set-up needs. Happily for me, Marguerite Moore (Marguerite Moore Marketing) and Tracy Bacigal (Grand Rapids Public Museum) quietly slipped behind the registration table to […]