So, I have been asked by many of my friends "Beck, What Exactly Does an IT/Marketing Manager Do?" While I cannot mention everything, here is the list of some things I do for Serola Biomechanics, Inc.:
1. EMAILS: As I arrive at 8:30am, M-F, and turn on my computer, the very first thing I do is READ MY EMAILS. I receive, on average, 30-50 emails per day. I answer everyone of them - personally, professionally, and in as much details as I can.
(Because it is set up in Microsoft Outlook 07 - the incoming emails are easily categorized/organized and all are assigned to their certain folders)
2. ORDERS: I go through each order that was received from http://www.SerolaBelt.com and separate them by type: RETAIL CUSTOMER's order VS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMER's order. I keep ONLINE SALES ANALYSIS excel sheet and keep track of the Total Annual Sales, Average Sales per Day, Retail Daily Sales, Wholesale Daily Sales, and Total # of Transactions. In addition, a Sales Graph is created for each month - it makes SALES analysis look so much easier. There are also Declined Orders - if it is the case - I contact the person to let him/her know why their online transaction was declined. It usually happens when they enter the incorrect billing address and/or CVV code.
3. MAGAZINE ADS: We advertise on 19 different Magazines, Newspapers, and Medical Journals in which I coordinate which ads due for publication, and what artwork is due by when, etc. It is uniquely important to keep track of dates and deadlines for each magazines. Making changes is time sensitive - and once it's gone for print, there is nothing you can do about the ad. Ads cost anywhere between $600-$1,500 depending on size, color, & magazine. My favorite is Annual Buyer's Guide because you can reach potentially to 100,000's of prospects with one single print - and these are distributed in big Trade Shows, Medical Shows, & Expos. (Unfortunately, due to recession in the economy, only 9 publishers are printing our ads this year.)
4. MARKETING CAMPAIGNS: As a Marketing Manager, I determine the expected marginal revenue and the cost before we announce any campaign. I sit down with my boss and discuss it in details and analyze any potential risks that may come from the campaign. When things normally, you can just relax - but when you see the sales starting to decline, it is that time to think "What Campaign Can I Create?", "How Can We Acquire New Customers?"
5. TALK TO PEOPLE: Yes, I love it. This diverse list includes Advertising Magazine/Newspaper/Journal
6. KEEP LOGS: In other words, keep record of what you did, everyday! Yes, it definitely helps me what I did and when I did. If possible, in any project, try to use MS PROJECT - it helps you define the project scope, budget, resources, and the time line. Great software. There is always bunch of Post It notes on my desk and I use them to take quick notes.
7. ONLINE ADVERTISING: I love this part and it is what I enjoy the most. We utilize Google AdWords (Pay-per-click), Yahoo Search Marketing (pay-per-click), SEO, CraigsList, and other Social Media Sites.
If you were to go on to Google and searched for "Sacroiliac Belt", "Back Pain", or "Sacrotrac" - the chances are you're probably looking at the ad I created: "Serola Belt - Slick Design, High Quality: Support Your Back Because It Supports You" or see something like "Serola Sacroiliac Belt - Heal Your Back. 100,000's of Americans Wear Our Belt - They Loved It." Pay-per-click ads easy but placing a bid on keywords can be "expensive."
On the other hand, CraigsList and SEO are free. You just have to use the right keyword and re-define the META TAGS of your web site. I create approx. 50 ads on CraigsList per week, and get people calling from VA asking about the product. Some leads convert to sales, but some don't - still we get more presence online. Facebook and other social media sites is great, as well. We have a company profile page wherever possible. We can announce any events, photos, videos easily and share it with our supporters. (Join our "Fan" page http://www.facebook.com/pages/SHOPSEROLANET/10391333463 or Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/beckbilguun. )
8. PLANNING : A comprehensive plan is created at the beginning of the year, and it determines our marketing plans: Online Advertising VS Newspaper/Magazine Advertising. Usually more budget is spent on the traditional marketing channels. If you have the SWOT Analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Treat) created - it is easy to see which areas need more planning and improvement. Also, I keep track of what our COMPETITORS doing. Where are they advertising more? How are they doing it? Are they declaring a price war? Keep a note of all of this, and check it bi-weekly. Competition is a harsh yet fair game when it comes to selling - and always compare what you are doing with the industry leaders.
9. DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL: It is very simple, actually. Know everything about your wholesalers, retailers, and distributors both in the US and Internationally. If someone asks where he can buy our goods in Australia - I send them our six distributors' address in Australia. Then, follow up in a week or two to see how it went.
10. PROJECT EUROPE: We have been negotiating with FedEx and MIDL (both trying to earn business with us), and after a series of scrutinized cost-and-benefit analysis, we selected MIDL to become our logistics & warehouse partner in the European operations. The outcome of this project will potentially increase our company revenue by at least 40%. So, I am currently on the paperwork project and http://www.SEROLA.eu.
So, that's it folks - this is the short list with only ten bullet points. Let me know if I can be of any help.
