Marketing and Sales
Market Research/Competitive Intelligence
Tried-and-true market research techniques
Launching a new product or service? BDC provides tips on how to define your market, determine its size and assess your competition.
Technology on the Move
The Canadian Technology Network with the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information and Federal Partners in Technology Transfer present the Competitive Intelligence Workshop, an online information centre on competitive intelligence, resources and tools, cases and success
stories.
Trends and Competitive Intelligence
A complete overview of competitive intelligence, including comprehensive lists of links to sites with general and specific information in defining or exploring any market that might be considered, explanations of competitive intelligence and a diagnostic tool for assessing your own competence in
this field.
Competitive Analysis
This section of Kauffman Foundations website has a wide selection of articles examining the practical realities of gathering competitive analysis, including ethical considerations.
Marketing Plan
Steps to Competitiveness - Marketing
This site offers a framework for marketing strategy and references to sources of information used in developing such a strategy. (Aimed at service companies)
Marketing Plan Outline
This section of the Business Canada site offers a comprehensive outline of what has to go into an effective marketing plan, structured around who?, what?, where?, how? and why?
The Definitive Guide to Marketing for Small Business
If your marketing efforts are sporadic, you're constantly frustrated by opportunities that go nowhere and you have a tough time saying "no" to any potential sales that comes along, the Definitive Guide to Marketing for Small Businesses is for you.
Checklist for a Marketing Plan
This site developed by Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, provides a comprehensive checklist of considerations in creating a marketing plan. It includes appendices market share, breakeven analyses and cash flow projections.
Marketing Plan
This section of The Alliance of Sector Councils site lists the steps and skill requirements to design and implement a marketing plan. The performance of each step is not described, but the outline serves as a useful guide to the process.
Export Information
Exportsource is the Canadian government site for exporters and it contains a compendium of references on every aspect of planning for export markets, from market research, through financing to implementation.
E-Business
E-Business
Are you thinking about developing and implementing an e-business component in your business? BDC can help you assess whether e-business is right for your company and develop a strategy to maximize your opportunities for growth.
E-Business Diagnostic
Is your company ready for e-business? BDC’s diagnostic tools can provide you with helpful information regarding the e-business potential of your firm.
Electronic Commerce
This is the most comprehensive referral point to up-to-date information on e-commerce in Canada, including success stories.
E-business Guide
Click on E-Business in the Canada Business site for information on the basics of doing business on the Internet.
The Definitive Guide to E-commerce
E-commerce is an extremely broad and sometimes complex field; this Definitive Guide offers some perspective that will provide a solid understanding of the basic issues and choices you'll face as you build your own e-commerce channel.
Ebiz-enable
The Industry Canada Strategis site offers an overview of e-commerce, including reasons for getting involved, matching it to your business and implementation.
Customer Relationships
Secrets of Good Customer Service
A business article written by Albert E. Schindler in the About.com website which talk about the importance of building customer loyalty for achieving success in business.
Customer Service (In French only)
This section of The Alliance of Sector Councils' website includes a checklist of issues to be addressed in servicing clients. Items 2.3 through 2.5 and items 2.10 and 2.11 cover many aspects of customer service, including
after-sales service, communication and the treatment of customer complaints and contract issues.
Leveraging Customer Relationships to Drive Growth
This report by the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship examines how customers can help grow your products and markets — but there are dangers to avoid, too.
[ PDF : 380 KB ]
Best Practices: Customer Relationship Management
This article in the Ivy Business Journal by Ian Gordon, President of Convergence Management Consultants Ltd., talks about Customer Relationship Management (CRM) seen by best practice companies.
Customer Service Strategies that get Results
Practical advice on good customer service management are available on the Business Development Bank of Canada website.
Truly Customer-centric Company - Scoring Card
On the Strategic Marketing Montreal website, you can find a diagnostic tool to assess how your business is truly a customer-centric organization.
Customer Focusing
A list of good short articles that provides practical tips for SMEs on becoming more customer-service focussed, is available on the Eric Fraterman Consulting website. The site also includes a free customer focus self-evaluation business tool.
Sales
Understanding and Developing your Sales Force
This is a long, thorough and informative article in the Business Canada site about every aspect of creating and managing a sales force. Much of it is basic, but there is something for everyone.
Measuring Sales Force Performance
Another section in the Business Canada site present a method that is workable and effective to measure the performance of each of the sales representatives in your business.
Tips for a Successful Sales Person
Insightful tips on best practices in selling. From the Business Development Bank of Canada "Ask a Pro" forum (item 37).
Sale Strategies for Expanding your Business
Strategies to grow sales and expand your business are discussed on the Royal Bank of Canada's website.
Marketing, Sales and Distribution
How-to articles from BDC to help your business increase revenues and profits by properly utilizing marketing, sales and distribution solutions.
Building an Invincible Sales Team
Advice offered by BDC on how to create, train and develop a strong sales team.
Promotion and Advertising
Make your Advertising Work for you
Tips from BDC on how to choose the right advertising medium, do effective ads and get the most out of your ad agency.
Options for Advertising and Promotion
This section in The Alliance of Sector Councils' site lists all the options as well as the steps and skill requirements to promote a product or service. The performance of each step is not described, but the outline serves as a useful
guide to the process.
Advertising Guidelines for Small Retailers
Guidelines for small retailing businesses to help them plan their advertising budget and campaign are outlined on the Canada Business website.
Do you Know the Results of your Advertising
On the Canada Business website, you can find pointers on how to plan ads and ways to measure effectiveness of advertising on your sales.
Marketing Checklist for Small Retailers
A checklist for small retail businesses that covers areas of retail marketing including aspects like customer analysis, buying, pricing and promotion. It can be used to evaluate current status and help rethinking certain decisions.
Public Relations
Public Relations
A range of short articles on public relations for SMEs on the Entrepreneur magazine website that provide good advice on how to use PR as an effective way to promote your business.
Exporting and Importing
ExportSources.ca
Canada's most comprehensive source of information and practical tools for new and experienced exporters.
ImportSource.ca
ImportSource.ca is your gateway to a comprehensive range of resources designed to help both new and experienced importers with every stage of the import process.
Exporting/Importing
This Canada BusinessGateway site provides comparable information on exporting as the previous site, but it also has useful information on importing.
Exporting
How-to articles from BDC to help you expand your operations to foreign markets and implement a successful exporting plan. BDC offers financing to Canadian entrepreneurs to increase their working capital and for the purchase of land, building and equipment.
Canadian Importers Database
This Strategis site provides access to imported goods, by product, importer and country of origin.
Best Practices
These are the winners of the 2003 awards for the best exporter. Offered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Import/Export Guides
This site of the Canada Border Services Agency provides a number of helpful guides including the "Guide to Importing Commercial Goods" and "Exporting Goods from Canada - A Handy Guide for Exporters".
Pricing (marketing)
Pricing and Small Retailers: Questions to Consider
In this six-part series on pricing, in the About.com website, Joel R. Evans and Barry Bermans give a number of tips to help small business owners improve their pricing decisions, starting with a list of questions for you to consider.
Pricing (In French only)
Item 2.1 in this section of The Alliance of Sector Councils website provides a list of the basic considerations in setting prices. The nuances and complexity is not explored, but the checklist is a useful starting point in setting about
the pricing of products or services.
Setting the Right Price
This section of the Business Canada site includes a comprehensive guide to the factors that must be considered in setting a price that has the desired impact on your market.
Launching New Products
Steps to Competitiveness - A New Service
This Industry Canada Strategis site offers a good overview for launching new services in service firms.
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Managing for Business Success
