Article - Looking Closely At Corporate Marketing

13 Dec 2021

Customised Corporate Marketing

 

Through South Africa and elsewhere in the world, there are countless success stories about so-called ordinary folks, brave, courageous and adventurous spirits who dared to start their then tiny businesses from their own kitchens, sewing rooms, garden sheds or garages at home.

 

Right Time, Products and Location

 

For those who chose the right time, the right location and the right products, this became the start of a journey to success – a corporate entity that began most humbly and was possibly born out of boredom or desperation, when times became tough, and jobs in the formal sector were not to be found.

 

Nevertheless, the word got out and spread. This was how they initially, almost inadvertently, marketed their incredible talent and the amazing goods that they produced and sold from their homes to customers. Some customers were people who simply appeared on the doorstep, some almost by chance, but all became clients who appreciated their merchandise and their entrepreneurial courage and daring.

 

Word of Mouth

 

There is no doubt that word of mouth advertising – personal recommendation – is one of the best, most effective forms of marketing, which is, broadly speaking, the promotion of an organisation’s goods and services.

 

 

Personal referrals also work well, providing that the source and their opinion is reliable, trustworthy and well-meaning. However, invaluable though such measures may be, one cannot rely on such basic but uncertain methods to perform as effective, efficient corporate marketing tools, a corporate entity being much more formal and significant than a tiny family business run from residential premises.

 

Corporate Marketing

 

The loosely used term “corporate marketing” has two subtly different arms – corporate strategy and corporate marketing, both of which have their own defined goals.

 

Strategies

 

An organisation’s corporate strategy involves the long-term scheme or its plan or planning for the entity to specify and set its ultimate goal/s whilst giving it the broad direction and steps that are required in order to achieve that goal.

 

Marketing Arm

 

Its marketing strategy consists of its comprehensive marketing plan, which establishes guidelines that may be applied throughout the organisation. The marketing strategy supports the company’s strategy.  Marketing’s goal is increasing sales (and revenue) whilst establishing and increasing its competitive advantage in its business sector. This particular strategy typically includes features and elements that define and distinguish the organisation.

 

 

Customised Branding

 

Elements may consist of or usually include customised branding, logos and trademarks, corporate colours and culture, tag lines, brand identification, brand building, brand awareness and brand expansion, as well as promotional items, corporate wear and strategised promotional campaigns that aim to reinforce the corporate’s presence and products in its business sector.

 

The XCO Group are leading wholesale manufacturers and suppliers of comprehensive ranges of corporate goods, from clothing, team wear, workwear – inclusive of PPE, exposure products, sports kit and digital brand customisation tools and solutions. Additionally, we’re also known as brand expansion and customisation specialists; that’s where our own marketing strategy is aimed.

 

Online

 

Our operation is run online since this is the most efficient and convenient method of serving our customers, who are, by their very nature and own admission, extremely busy people that don’t have time and resources to waste or the slightest inclination to do so.

 

Because XCO’s development and growth has been gradual and measured, we’re very familiar with the requirements, recommendations and strategies that are effective in brand establishment and expansion, as well as the new and our latest digital tools and strategies that may be employed to achieve marketing goals.

 

This is certainly reflected in our own organisation, so we gladly share our experience and expertise with our online customer base. Some, but by no means all, include prestigious, well-known concerns and industry giants, such as:

 

·         Spar

·         Barloworld Agriculture

·         Bidvest Protea Coin

·         Altron

·         Supergroup

·         Toyota

·         SABS

·         NWU

·         University of Zululand

·         UNISA

·         TuksSport

·         Eskort

·         South African National Parks (SANParks)

·         South African Police Service (SAPS)

·         South African Air Force (SAAF)

·         Gauteng Province – Department of Sports, Art, Culture and Recreation

·         SANESA Limpopo

·         Seychelles Football Federation

·         Samsung

·         Anglo Platinum

·         CANSA

·         Stefanutti Stocks

 

Climbing the Corporate Ladder

 

Many leading entities began as small business ventures, as did we at XCO Group. we’ve embarked on our journey to climb up the corporate ladder of our own market segment, so we’re ideally placed to assist your organisation with all our marketing and promotional aids and enhancements at your disposal – currently some 230 000 products. It’s all online; we’re only an email or phone call away, in anticipation of your welcome enquiry.