Which of these 10 marketing challenges applies to you?

Any company is faced with marketing challenges, even the market leaders.
Many of these challenges rely upon perception of the market.
Thus Marketing is required.
In most of these cases advertising helps, but that is the most expensive method.

1. The unknown alternative solution
Your solution addresses a common problem differently but nobody knows.
What to do:
- Create awareness by press releases, industry analysts and bloggers
- Start blogging in order to get attention
- Improve the SEO of your website in order to be found on the Internet
- Create content related to your solution in order to be found on the Internet
- Be present on trade shows and on conferences on a tight budget

2. A solution without a known brand name
Your solution suits a specific category of problems or servers a specific industry, but you are never considered or invited for a first meeting: they just don’t think of or remember your solution.
What to do:
- Branding is required in order to make sure people connect your brand with a specific problem.
- Start blogging in order to build authority in these matters
- Be present on trade shows and on conferences on a tight budget

3. The ‘me-too’ solution
Even if you are recognized as a vendor, buyers and decision makers don’t see the benefit or the differentiating features or functions. Thus they don’t put you on the short-list.
What to do:
- Publish comparison charts
- Create awareness with industry analysts and bloggers

4. The wrong pricing perception solution
The solutions of the market leader are selling at a high price tag. Decision makers and buyers have the perception of expensive solutions.
Due to a number of reasons (less marketing, less overhead, better design, improved production methods) your sales price is much lower.
Still people don’t take your solution into consideration as they think it will be also too expensive.
What to do:
- Put your price list on your website if possible
- Put a starting price tag on your website and on leaflets

5. The cheap perception
Somehow the solutions of your company are considered as “cheap”. Still you are offering good quality for a decent price. Not “cheap low quality”.
What to do:
- Show your references on the website
- Publish case studies with the best well known brand names you have amongst your clients.
- Get a certification: then send out press release concerning this certification and put the logo on website.

6. The high cost competitor perception
The market leader offers a complex solution that is difficult and costly to deploy and install, whereas your solution is simple and straightforward. Still it can be used by 80% of the market.
People don’t even think of looking for a solution for this problem as they are afraid of the difficulties and costs involved of implementation.
What to do:
- Distinguish from the market leader by explaining the lesser complexity and ease of use
- Addressing this message of the difference to industry analysts and bloggers  

7. Being the leading solution in different market
Your solution is market leader in a certain market segment. The solutions can be used in a different market segment or industry too.
Still buyers of the different market just don’t address to you.
What to do:
- Branding into the different market
- References in this different market segment
- Publish case studies with companies in this different market
- Win an award related to this different market

8. The better solution than the market leader
You have a solution that has many more features or functionalities or is just more efficient to solve the problem than the well-known brand name.
What to do:
- Publish comparison charts
- Create awareness by press releases, industry analysts and bloggers
- Show references on your website or in publications
- Publish case studies

9. Being the market leader with the perception of expensive
Your company is the market leader, but solely large companies will considering buying from you as the market has the perception of high costs involved in your solutions.
Thus you miss all possible deals with medium and smaller companies.
What to do:
- Publish case studies with smaller companies
- A ROI calculation on your website
- Blog in order to approach your potential customers

10. The great solution from the wrong country
You might have the best solution at the best price / quality; however people don’t buy from you as your country of origin has a lesser reputation in quality or support.
What to do:
- Use all references you have abroad – avoid your country references
- Get a certification for your solution or production process
- Set up a local office for sales and support
- Hire local sales people for each local market
- Have all your marketing material available in the local language
- Use competitive pricing, but don’t become low cost or cheap.

Where does your company fit into?
Or do you have a different marketing challenge?