Today, many Internet telephony (news - alert) businesses are rethinking their global marketing and public relations strategies in order to outpace their competitors, to increase market share, and to grow their profits in new markets.

One way to achieve these important objectives is to understand the value of writing, designing, producing and distributing specialized industry newsletters and user stories of interest to selected market niches in the United States and overseas.

Tips for Developing Effective Industry Newsletters

Despite the many advantages of these proven marketing vehicles, many Internet telephony businesses today do not produce specialized industry newsletters of appeal to audiences in selected vertical markets. Yet, these are inexpensive ways for these organizations to communicate the value and benefits of their goods and services to potential buyers across the globe.

For best results, Internet Telephony businesses may want to consider sending out meaningful electronic industry newsletters to these audiences. This approach provides local businesses with a sure way to accelerate their entry into new markets and to reach out to a large number of qualified prospects, customers and industry partners simultaneously.

How to Go About Developing Electronic Industry Newsletters and How Frequently These Should Be Distributed

The first step for Internet telephony businesses is to decide which industry or consumer markets they want to go after. This requires research and introspection. Good sources for research purposes include associations, specialized analysts, trade shows, existing customers, business or consumer media and industry publications.

In addition, Internet telephony businesses will do well when probing their sales, marketing, product management and customer service departments for valuable insights onto currently expanding market niches. Completing this research is a step often overlooked by many Internet telephony businesses, yet it provides important data on how these specialized markets are evolving and demanding new goods and services fast.

Once these steps are completed, Internet telephony businesses should embark on a mission to develop gold master lists of prospects by targeted industries. Next, local businesses should consider the audiences of these electronic newsletters. This can be achieved by grouping audiences into different categories such as buyers, people who influence the sales, users, industry analysts and industry partners. Such an exercise can help Internet telephony businesses to produce content of special appeal to these audiences.

It is a good idea to send these electronic newsletters monthly or at least on a quarterly basis if possible considering that frequency can be a major factor in building brand visibility in the global marketplace.

Tips For Producing Revenue-Generating User Stories

Many Internet telephony businesses do not go to the extra mile for developing user stories by industry sector. The value of industry or  customer stories is that they can be used as critical sales tools in attracting new business and in closing deals with partners in various market niches.

These user stories should be written with the selected industry audiences in mind. Such user stories should cover typical pains encountered and demonstrate how the company�s goods and services can help to overcome these challenges. This approach will help Internet telephony businesses to build credibility and visibility for their brands in targeted industry and consumer markets. Thus, it is a viable strategy to implement.

Internet telephony businesses would also do well promoting specialized user stories in their industry newsletters, on their company�s Web site, on specialized industry supply chain Web sites and even at trade shows.

Outsource Marketing and Public Relations Services

Internet telephony businesses should consider outsourcing marketing and public relations services in order to accelerate their time to market and to better leverage their internal resources.

The reason: It is a viable strategy to enlist the help of a specialized consultant in developing electronic newsletters and user stories of particular interest to audiences in various industries.

Tasking a specialized consultant with the grunt work also allows an Internet Telephony business to reach new markets that offer interesting opportunities for profits and growth at very low cost.

Conclusion

Internet Telephony businesses will want to consider the merits of expanding their revenues in vertical markets via specialized industry newsletters and user stories. This approach can go a long way toward helping these organizations find lucrative opportunities for growth at a time when increased competition from foreign companies requires embracing new ways to conquer promising market niches in the US and abroad.

Flora Iacchia is a Senior Marketing & Public Relations Consultant for various blue chip accounts including SAVVIS Communications and ObjectStar International, She designs for clients integrated marketing, public relations, account development, product management, sales, and customer programs that increase their sales and visibility in vertical markets. Over the years, Iacchia has implemented various successful marketing and sales programs for businesses across industry sectors. [email protected]
 

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