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STARK REALITY

Please fill in the questionnaire, save the file as a PDF and email back to usat least 2 working days prior our scheduled review date

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epared by:

The perception your customers have about your business is directly related to your profitability.

A comprehensive analysis of your marketing communication efforts, the Stark Reality Check will provide you with a clear direction of how your business can increase the return on your marketing investment:

1. You will discover the areas of your marketing that need immediate attention to improve sales.

2. You will learn the most cost effective ways to promote your business and minimize your cost per lead, online and offl ine.

3. Get an understanding of how to truly differentiate yourself from your competitors and make a lasting and positive impression with your prospects and customers.

“For many organisations the cost of Communication - reaching their intended audience - is their greatest cost, yet most Professional Services and B2B companies do not budget for this ongoing investment or utilise the basic principles and processes required to maximise their R.O.I” Gene Stark.

Date:

Presented to:

Prepared by:

OVERVIEW

Where do the majority of your leads come from?

What is your average cost per lead?

What is your conversion rate?

Do you know the Lifetime Value of your customer?

What other methods of lead generation have you tried?

What are your 3 greatest marketing and sales challenges?

What do you believe is the problem?

What prevents you from overcoming the problem?

What would be the effect on Revenue if you doubled your conversion rate?

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COMPANY NAME

What is the Company name?

Does the name make a promise or tell a story?

Is the name descriptive or does it suggest a feature or benefi t?

Does the name differentiate you from competitors and make you unforgettable?

If you have numerous products or services, do their names support your company brand name?

Does it provide a deep well of marketing and advertising images, making it PR worthy and easy for you to promote?

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POSITIONING

How do you defi ne your core business? Mousetraps v Absence of Mice

What is your Unique Selling Proposition? (USP)

What is your Positioning Statement? (Slogan / Tagline - creative interpretation of your USP)

Does your Positioning differentiate the business (Communicate the USP)?

Does your Positioning provide a Creative (Campaignable and Sustainable) platform

Are the benefi ts expressed explicitly (better than implied) to the customer?

Does the positioning work well with / provide support to the brand name?

Is your Positioning focused and simple? What word do you “own” in the mind of your consumer?

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CUSTOMERS

Who are your current customers?

How did they fi nd you (or you them)?

Who are your customers’ infl uencers? Who do they listen to and respect?

What do your customers want? What makes them happy and what are they afraid of?

MAIN COMPETITORS (List website address) POSITIONING (SLOGAN / TAGLINE)

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WEBSITE & DATABASE YOUR MARKETING FOUNDATIONS

How many unique visitors do you get to your site per month?

How long do they stay there?

How many of them Buy (per month) or perform an action (respond) in the way that you want them to? Call, Register, etc

What is the Average Value of your Sale?

How many names do you collect on a monthly basis via your website?

How many contacts do you currently have in your database with a permission to email?

Do you have an ongoing email campaign planned 3- 6 months advance?

How many contacts (complete name & addresses details) do you currently have in your database?

How often do you communicate with your customers and prospects?

Do you have a blog?

Do you have Video on your website?

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WEBSITE & DATABASE YOUR MARKETING FOUNDATIONS

What is the monthly volume of Keyword Phrase (KWP) searches for your product or service by (KWP)

What is the Average Cost Per Click for your top keywords (keyword phrases) to appear on the front page of Search Engines?

KWP1 KWP1

KWP2 KWP2

KWP3 KWP3

KWP4 KWP4

KWP5 KWP5

KWP6 KWP6

KWP7 KWP7

How many of your direct competitors are on the fi rst 2 pages of Organic Search Results? Who are they—list them.

How many links point to your site?

How many links does your biggest competitors have pointing to their site?

Currently Your Website is.... PULL - Credibility and Directly attributable Sales or LeadsWebsite is able to cost effectively attract enough visits to satisfy current ROI...

PUSH - Credibility and Indirect source of Leads and SalesIn the short term (at least the next 6 months) you need to drive traffi c to your website using other forms of online and offl ine communication rather than SEO and PPC.

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CREATIVE STRATEGY (WEB-CENTRIC*)*Applies to all other forms of media communication

COMMENTS

Design Yes No

Do all design elements work well together?

Is the colour scheme used to differentiate the website?

Does the colour scheme work well with the logo?

Is the fl ash used appropriately?

Is the font type / size / colour in line with the brand and easy to read?

Is the line spacing adequate?

Do banners / main visuals capture attention and interest (quickly)?

Are the images original, creative and appropriate?

Are the visuals used to reinforce the benefi ts or the brand?

Brand

Is there a story or a theme?

Does the story support the brand positioning and / or brand name?

Is the story told throughout the website?

Copywriting

Are there headlines throughout the site?

Do the headlines grab attention?

Are there sub headings breaking up chunks of text?

Customer focused (you - dominant) or Company focused (we - dominant)

Are the messages immediately comprehensible?

Is there too much industry specifi c jargon?

Navigation

Are the menu’s simple to understand and easy to use?

Is it easy to fi nd information easily?

Call To Action

Does the website tell its visitors what it wants them to do next?

Is it easy to respond to EACH of the “Call to Action” offers?

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WHICH PROMOTIONAL TOOLS ARE YOU UTILISING?

COMMENTS

Do you have a professional presentations* easily tailored for each target segment?

Yes No

Concise Elevator Pitch, Powerpoint, Video, etc

Do you have professional* brochures? (hard copy and electronic)

Are they available from your website?

Do you have professional* Questionnaires, Templates?

What forms of Networking do you currently undertake?Physical Online, e.g.: LinkedIn, Facebook, Industry Blogs

Do you write Reports, White Papers, Articles? How often?

Have you written a book about your area of expertise, provid-ing value to prospects and showing them how they can better solve their challenges and satisfy their needs?

What other forms of Direct Marketing do you currently utilise?Direct Mail?Telemarketing?

Do you have any Speaking Engagements?

Do you currently invest in any Online Media Advertising?

Do you currently invest in any Traditional (Mass Media)

* Professional—Capitalizing on your brand name, personality, positioning statement

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