9 Signs You're a b2b sales Expert

How many Keys are needed to Unlock your Online Marketing Kingdom? ™

Surprisingly there are 3 keys that will unlock access to your online marketing kingdom. But once inside you must focus on 5 key elements. Sounds like a fairy tale quest, right? Which it is not I may add, but quite the contrary because there is no Magic involved here. Using the keys to unlock your online marketing kingdom requires skill.

While instead of a quest this is a journey to which there is no final destination or highest point of the ladder. Making money online is not a contest, and the faster you try to go the less success you will achieve. What you put in is what you get out, the most frustrating part of which must be time. The waiting and testing.

This may come as a surprise but even with the keys to unlocking your online marketing kingdom in hand. You will have to focus on one paramount factor to activate your keys and unlock your online marketing kingdom. Which is also the reason why these are the two most important keys, because knowledge is your activation code. The two Primary keys are:

The Logic Behind Research, Wording, and Search Phrases.

In order to generate a substantial online income, all you really need is Google and YouTube. But you will also need to test as many training programs as you possibly can. The goal here is to gather knowledge, not to generate sales. Be prepared to spend a few months on gathering knowledge and do not be misdirected by the distant glitter. Focus on what is right in front of you.

Word of the wise though, before you purchase to test anything. Be absolutely sure they offer a money back guarantee (AKA Safety Net). Anyone selling any product that does not offer a refund, in my opinion, have little faith in what they are trying to sell you. In which case, neither should you.

Using Google, YouTube and Quora for research purposes will unlock an Ocean of information, and while this route is sometimes frustratingly time consuming. There are little alternative means that remotely compete with the 2 most visited websites on Earth!

With Google, YouTube and Quora, you must remember that these are search engines. They only understand words, phrases, and code. Using these 3 keys are as simple as being painfully precise on what you are looking for. Instead of "work from home" perhaps try "work from home online jobs that pay well". Be specific and your search result will have spot on information. From there, it is entirely up to you to follow through.

How many Secondary Key Elements to Your Online Marketing Kingdom?

There are 5 secondary key elements to focus on when using them the unlock the potential of your 3 primary keys. Using these 5 secondary elements is where the time factor starts playing its role. Time is the most frustration part of making money online. Because nothing is going to happen fast, but it will happen surely and the secret to that is:

"Make the Freedom you Crave, Greater than the Need you Feel!"

What that means is, in order to use the keys and unlocking your online marketing kingdom. You must focus on long term goals and stop running after all the "quick fixes". There is no quick way out of a financial hardship (unless you win the lottery). But online marketing is a sure way out, given the right amount of time, patience, and persistence.

But we will take a closer look at how to use these 5 secondary activation keys under the next sub-heading. So, keep reading to claim the keys and learn how to unlock your online marketing kingdom. This method of online marketing is by far the most time-consuming, but also by far the most profitable by spending little to no money at all.

How to use the 5 Secondary Keys to Your Online Marketing Kingdom.

None of these 5 secondary keys involve posting anything or promoting any links at all. These are the core pillars of preparation, nothing more. While for every step or secondary key you want to create folders and sub-folders on your PC to save your preparation work.

Knowledge - Decide on your profitable niche (what you love doing most) and forget about the top, or best niches if it is not something you love doing. Gather as much knowledge as you possibly can on your niche and/or topic. For this you will use your 3 primary keys namely Google, YouTube, and Quora.

Demand - Also known as a common identified need within your profitable niche. Establish what people are looking for the most within a particular niche. Allow me to demonstrate. In the "making money online" niche for instance, the one common need is buyer traffic. If you find solutions that work to that, then you and your products will soon be in demand.

Product - b2b sales Based on your research you have 2 options. Finding an affiliate product which is a proven solution to said common need. Then purchasing and testing the product to ensure they live up to their claims. Or you can create your own digital product with a proven solution to the common need.

Presentation - Presenting your offer usually requires things like Image and/or Video design. But your presentation should include 2 basic thoughts. Addressing a common need and offering a proven solution. But you presentation must also create curiosity because a curios visitor is an active visitor and most likely a buyer.

Timing - It may be safe to consider Geo targeting and combining that with your timing. Always calculate the time difference between your own time-zone, and the time-zone you wish to target. Timing and Geo targeting is crucial to not only top engagement, but it also plays a role in establishing affordability.

Your Own Digital products to Activate the Key to Your Online Success.

Hang on, don't run for the hills just yet. Getting your own digital product online is the next step to building your online marketing kingdom a lot faster. Simply because instead of marketing other people's products (affiliate marketing), other people will now be promoting your offer. AKA - Being a vendor on affiliate marketing networks.

The beauty of this is that you can start with something simple and basic like an eBook. Creating your own digital products simply means turning knowledge into profit. A way to convert your knowledge (a solution to the common need) into a digital product, enabling you to own the "unique thing". Something nowhere else available on the internet.

With the eBook creating software presented in the video, believe it or not. You will not need to write a single word to create top selling eBooks. And you can use a publisher called BookRix to publish your work 100% free in all Major Online Bookstores. Including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and iTunes.

If you found my article helpful, kindly leave a comment. Or ask me anything online marketing related. And I will be delighted to answer you as best I can.

Value chain analysis

The value chain analysis consists of the following components arranged in sequence: artists and repertoire development, recording, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and finally retail. Such chains as manufacture, recording and retail are very often outsourced, even by the Great Five (Warner Music group, EMI Recorded Music, Universal, BMG Entertainment and Sony Music Group).

A thorough analysis and review of CCM's operations has been completed by reviewing the current and long-term problems in both the internal and external environments.

Artists and Repertoire Development: Recording companies put as much available money as possible into developing their groups and music, the musical repertoire and quality, to promote concerts and organize tours, to prepare the merchandising. CCM plans to expand its product line to include more musicians and albums and to expand the musical genre the company operates into.

Recording: Usually major labels have their own recording studios, though still outsourcing this link of the value chain is possible even by such premier companies as Columbia and EMI. Primary costs come from the equipment and mixing, which in the case of Colorado Creative Music were the cheapest quality equipment from all possible.

Manufacturing: Manufacturing a CD usually takes 10% of its cost. There are not too much CD manufacturers in the world, since the costs of the process make the market very limited with serious entry barriers. CCM's manufacturing is not very costly process due to the technology employed, though the company didn't manufacture actually CDs, it bought them from the relevant producers, and then just duplicated them.

Marketing: activities connected with marketing and advertisement traditionally account for 30% of total CD production costs. Marketing costs combine radio and television advertisement, printed catalogues and press releases, promotional tours and other events. Also, marketing costs include preparation of PR tours and music videos. CCM's marketing events include: live performance, comprising malls, art festivals and concerts; Website, specifically website promotion and new programs to acquire and to learn; publicity consisting of airplay radio, TV, internet radio, live interviews on radio and TV, print press releases and reviews featuring listings of events; promotion - in store, contests, sponsoring, giveaway; and email marketing methods comprising monthly newsletters.

Distribution: The distribution phase accounts for about 40% of the total cost of the product. This process involves physical transportation and packaging of a CD from manufacturing place to distributors or direct retailers. Since there are few manufacturing facilities, delivery from these places to any corner of the world may be very costly. Moreover, as delivery is often needed within short terms, the distribution costs grow even higher. For CCM, the distribution may include direct sales on live performances, through 800 number order, through website or mail order catalogue. Indirect distribution channels applicable for the company can be traditional and untraditional. Traditional channels comprise chain music stores, chain book stores and independent music stores. Nontraditional methods include catalogs, retail chains, gift stores, independent bookstores, Christian chains and independents. Inclusion of indirect distribution methods into CCM's distributional tactics is wise since it distincts the company from its competitors and aims at winning still untouched potential markets.

Retailing: the retailing operations are generally carried out by major labels and internet superstores like Amazon.com and CDnow. Until products of CCM become popular with particular public segment, the company cannot enjoy such retail service.

Strategic cost analysis

Strategic cost analysis aims at comparing the cost position of the firm relative to the key competitors activity by activity from purchase of raw materials until the price paid by the final customer.( Hill & Jones , 1995) In this case, the analysis will be carried out in regards to CCM and the representatives of premier market segment such as Sony Music of EMI. In 2000, with the total income making up $216, 614.05, the primary source thereof was direct gig sales, accounting for $181, 451.92, that is more than 80 percent. Major companies derive their main income from traditional indirect distribution channels, such as retail music stores. Other major sources of CCM income comprise wholesale ($12,238.83), mail and phone orders ($11, 442.24), and website sales ($6,419.35).

Traditional distribution channels, along with other sales, make up only $1,758.79. This number is relevant for the microlabels but absolutely not characteristic to independents and major labels. The cost of goods sold makes up $22,034,33, therefore gross profit of the company in 2000 made up $194,579.72. This number is the higher of 1997-2000 period and such relatively low cost of production of goods (10%) is typical for the whole industry. As for expenses, 2000 was the first year when the company spent some amount (up to $500) for equipment rental. Until that moment, the company used its own equipment. Equipment rental and production outsourcing is a typical practice for major recording companies and though they posses a large amount of costly equipment, sometimes they pay considerable sums of money for rental of unique, exclusive and particular equipment for the needs of individual recording.

It should be noticed that professional fees of the company, that is the money paid to the staff, increase on a yearly basis, that means that the company each year conducts growingly active human resources policy, hiring more professionals, technicians, musicians and performers. This is a good index and such expenses (in 2000 they made up $29,719.26) should increase each year if the company wishes to grow in size and in prestige. Major labels employ tens or even hundreds of first-class technicians, sound producers and producers and pay them tens thousand dollars yearly. Besides, the major companies conclude contracts with famous artists with costs often exceeding several hundred thousand dollars. Another feature which should be mentioned in the analysis is low cost of advertising expenditures. In case of CCM it makes up $10,423, that is only 5% of total income. This figure shows unsatisfactory advertising and promotion campaign, since typically music recording labels account for larger percentage, at least 8-10%.

In a whole, the revenues and income structure is typical for microlabel companies with low expenses assigned for advertisement, distribution of their products and particularly professional fees. In major companies and independents, structure of expenses is different. The main accent is drawn to upgrade and maintenance of the equipment (major companies have very expensive equipment working on analogue basis which needs to be constantly maintained); professional fees, which are incredibly high due to popularity and prestige of performers and high professional level of the staff; advertising and promotion campaign and distribution channels. CCM approximates these proportions only with professional fees, which along with payroll make up about $45,000, the largest expense segment of the whole income statement.

Key competitive success factors

Key success factors are tangible measurements of the vision, mission and values of the organization on a yearly basis with the aim of attaining improvements for reaching ideal future vision (Gerry, Kevan, 1997).

The key success factors for Colorado Creative Music are values assessment, member satisfaction, financial viability, effective performance management system, customer satisfaction and recognition, development of technologies and enhancing the array of brand names. The music industry has a number of driving forces which are the determinants of success for such company as CCM. These forces, directly impacting CCM, include:

• Tangible reduction of the cost of recording and duplicating music on the digital basis. Without this fact, the existence of CCM is very dubious.

• Distribution and downloading music via virtual internet means. The affordability for people to comply and burn their own CD has the revolutionizing impact on the structure of distribution channels in the music industry and decreases the retail price of a single CD. Internet has become very effective, novel, affordable and today critically important tool for informal direct and indirect (through virtual bookstores) channel of distribution.

• The relative easiness of making website, posting it on the web and conducting online sales of one's music. Internet makes easier not only distribution of the music, but promotion thereof as well. Internet promotions of the website of some musical products, taking into consideration growing number of internet users, is by far one of the most effective advertising means.

• Small-scale informal distribution of music is possible. Thus, the company possesses certain distribution channels even if it is deprived of the opportunity of access to traditional indirect channels.

All these factors altogether provided CCM with the opportunity to make music recording industry affordable and attractive for small studios.

At the present moment, to succeed, the company has to focus on developing these directions of activity such as production, distribution, and marketing, but to grow further and reach another level, to turn into independent label, the company has also to expand its repertoire, the number of musicians recorded, and work on the popularity of the artists whose works it records, promotes and distributes.

Competitive advantage over the rivals may be achieved through cost leadership policy, when the company lowers the price for its products and makes them cheaper than those of competitors, and differentiation strategy, which implies offering different from the rivals array of products or services. Also, there is focus strategy, but if the company strives to grow from microlabel to independent, it needs to expand its customer base and acquire new segment of market besides the one it already has.

Therefore, differentiation strategy is by far the most effective in gaining competitive advantage for CCM, though some elements of cost leadership, including lowering the price for music purchase in the Internet, or elaborating saturated pricing structure, is also possible. These two strategies are elements of competitive advantage based on the position of the firm, also called positional advantage. There is also another approach for gaining competitive success, called resource-based view, which stands for utilizing by the firm its resources and capabilities for gaining competitive advantage over the company's rivals. In this viewpoint, CCM has to focus on such success factors as installed customer base, reputation of the firm and brand equity, which altogether form distinctive competencies enabling innovation, quality, efficiency and customer responsiveness.

BCG matrix

BCG growth-share matrix deals with allocation of resources among the company's business units. The business units which may be identified within CCM are recording department, promotion department, distribution department, finance and accounting, management and human resources department. Currently the company doesn't have such functional units, since its staff is not numerous and Darren Skanson, top manager, performer and producer, simultaneously works as accountant, desktop publisher, database manager, newsletter editor, website designer, copywriter, leading artist and manager. But the company aims at growing from microlabel into independent recording studio and for that it will certainly need more staff and division of working directions among functional units. According to BCG matrix, almost all units of the company are dogs and question marks, since the market share the company occupies are rather small relative to its rivals, the company has acquired a distinct niche which has limited customer base. Such units as recording, finance and accounting and management may be defined as dog sectors, while promotion, distribution and human resources are question marks.

For other parts of this series, please check Music Recording Company Case Study