Marketing Facts Revealed
The Directory Listing Program
A Simple Basic Marketing Program.
Overlooked and Needed by Most Companies.
Developed by Mark Goff.
What is a Directory?
A directory is any list of companies, products, or people. They can be in several forms. These forms include large multiple volume industrial publications such as the Thomas Register, or small specialized Buyers' and Source Guides published by trade magazines on an annual basis. They also include on line databases, and special directories published on electronic media. The electronic media can be on floppy disk, CDROM, or... of course, the Internet. There are more than 15,000 directories published in the United States. These directories consist of National Industrial Directories, Regional Directories, Engineering Design Directories, Special Buyer's Guide issues of Publications, and many more.
What is the Directory Listing Program?
The Directory Listing Program is a simple program that maximizes a company's exposure in directories. Directories are one of five major marketing avenues for promoting your product and company. The five marketing avenues are media advertising, public relations, trade shows, direct mail, and directory advertising. These marketing avenues all work together to reinforce each other. The balance among the five avenues is dependent on the particular product being marketed. Some product lines tend to be promoted easier at trade shows while some product lines rely heavily on media advertising. The Directory Listing Program focuses on the directory avenue. And...
It allows you to introduce new technologies and new products.
It keeps your name in front of new buyers and specifiers.
What's the relative cost of a Directory Listing Program?
Most individual directory listings are free for the asking. The advertisements are usually small and in black and white. Of all the means of promoting products, directories are the least expensive and least exploited. This is because to effectively develop a directory program and see the results in print can take a full year. Companies do not have the expertise, patience, or the long term dedication to effectively perform a thorough directory listing program. Advertising agencies do not have the interest because the ads are inexpensive and usually not commissionable.
How many directories should I be listed in?
A small single product line manufacturer of instrumentation could have its products listed in as many as 50 directories. Larger and multiple product line companies could be listed in hundreds of directories. It's important to get in all possible directories. Each directory has a different focus. Some directories such as the Thomas Register are used heavily by purchasing departments. Other directories such as the OEM Design Guide are used by engineers. Still others, are used by corporate management. Each directory has categories and subcategories. They are arranged by company or by product. They are designed to help the user find the manufacturer and the product. A well developed Directory program will cover all possible directories. If a directory user compiles a list of manufacturers from several directories your company will be listed in all of them, creating reinforcement in the mind of the buyer. Being listed in directories gives the company and product instant credibility. Directories are also a good place to advertise. The ads are very inexpensive to develop and have a shelf life of over a year.
How do I get a Directory Listing Program started?
Mark Goff, Marketing Consultant, developed this special program. He first does a very thorough analysis of the available directories. Then he and develops the optimum program for your company and your budget.
