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If there is a Magic Key to Marketing, THIS is it
We're all looking for a magic key to marketing, something that will finally take the frustration out of failed attempts, unreturned phone calls and prospective clients that don't seem to "get it". I believe we are also looking for more depth,...
Little Known Secrets About Credibility Marketing!
A key factor in successfully marketing your business is to establish credibility within your market. How, you might ask, is it possible to establish credibility quickly? This article is geared toward helping you understand the importance of...
Marketing Miracle Phrases
"...A powerful agent is the right word..." --Mark Twain And what true words those are! Your marketing efforts have the ability to succeed or to fail based on the words you choose to represent your products, services, and yourself in your ads. You...
New Publications Will Provide Innovative Tips on Marketing Good Niche Products in the Niche Market
Niche@PlanetXYZ ( http://www.planetxyz.com/planetxyz.htm ), which was polled as the popular niche in the market, will publish the top 3 Themed Niche Ebooks monthly. Niche@PlanetXYZ is unique in the sense of market strategy and product experience....
Non-Stop Marketing Machine
What is the best way to market your company? How can you generate more sales? Use these ideas to develop your company's most effective sales tool, your web site. Company Information: Provide information about your company and products - List your...
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What My Teenagers Taught Me About Marketing "Stuff"
My kids taught me a lot about marketing communication when they were teenagers. My son had me playing 20 questions. When I asked what he'd done at school or out with his friends the night before, I'd get one of two classic teenage responses; "Stuff" or "Nothing". I'd have to pepper him with questions to learn any more.
With my daughter, I could hardly get a word in edgewise. She's a great storyteller, but she wanted to tell me everything about everyone. Neither of them were really giving me what I wanted.
If these had been sales calls and I'd been a business prospect instead of a devoted parent, I'd have ended the conversation or walked away. I'd have thought, "Great people, but they don't understand my point of view or my problems."
Does your marketing turn prospects off with too little or too much information?
Do you approach your marketing from your customers' point of view?
Is your marketing generating the leads you need to grow your business?
If a prospect asked you what you do, you'd n.ever respond by just saying "Stuff". But what do you say? Do you tell them that you're in advertising, or that you are a lawyer, accountant, designer, entrepreneur, franchise consultant, realtor, trainer, or software developer? Statements like this don't start a conversation fully explain what you do or how a prospect could benefit from your products or services. These one or two word answers are the equivalent of your teenager telling you they've been doing "Stuff".
Don't make your prospects play "20 Questions" with you to understand your business. Give them a clear, succinct marketing message that describes how you can help them and why they need you.
Once you've got their attention with your marketing message, follow it up with the information they need, a clarification of the problems you solve, the solutions you provide and a reason to contact you. Make it easy for your prospects to get what they want from your marketing materials, whether you use ads, brochures, a web site or other media.
- Define
your prospects' most common concerns and the problems they want resolved.
- Present the solutions your provide in the context of these problems.
- Explain why they need you, from their point of view.
- Anticipate and answer their questions.
I was on the phone with Marilyn, who wanted to know what her firm could do to spread the word and get more clients. Last year they made over a million dollars, but so far this year they haven't gotten the number of inquires they need to continue to grow the company. What's getting in the way?
While I was talking with Marilyn, I typed her firm's URL into my web browser to take a look at the way they are promoting themselves. I had two reactions when her site came up in my browser. One, it was very attractive and professionally done. Two, after looking at it for a few minutes, I had no idea what the company actually did, who they helped or how.
There was a lot of information on the site, but it wasn't telling me what I needed to know. It took me another ten minutes and a number of questions to find out what her small business software development and computer-networking firm did.
Your prospects don't have the motivation of a parent talking to a teenager. If its hard for your prospects to figure out whether or not you can help them from your marketing materials, they're gone. Don't expect them to decipher unclear copy or hunt through your web site to find the information they need.
Generate more leads and sales by using a marketing message, supporting marketing copy and a coordinated marketing system that helps your prospects understand why they need you and how you can solve their problems.
2005 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
About the Author
The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals, small business owners and marketing professionals attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up to receive the Free Marketing Strategy eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business' at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com
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KnowThis: For Marketing, Market Research, Internet Marketing ... |
KnowThis.com offers a wealth of information, forums, and resources for professionals, academics and students in traditional and internet marketing, ... |
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Marketing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Marketers depend on marketing research, both formal and informal, ... The next big thing is a concept in marketing that refers to a product or idea that ... |
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Learn about marketing careers, the stages of developing a marketing plan, how to begin marketing research, create a marketing strategy, and how to market ... |
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Welcome - American Marketing Association - www.marketingpower.com |
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Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR News - Brand Republic |
Find the latest Advertising, Marketing, Media and PR news from Brand Republic, the online resource for up to the minute advertising and marketing news and ... |
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Marketing Magazine - Marketing News - Brand Republic |
Marketing Magazine - Marketing News - Brand Republic. |
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Offers a Canadian source of news and articles on marketing, advertising and media. |
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BidVertiser - Pay Per Click Advertising On Sites Of Your Choice. |
Pay per click advertising - online advertising directly on sites of your choice, internet marketing solution for online advertisers. |
www.bidvertiser.com |
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Online Behavioral Contextual Advertising and Marketing. |
Promote your business with today's most effective online advertising technology, contextual advertising at a cost effective metric of CPC, PPC, CPM or CPV. |
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Sales Jobs / Marketing Jobs / Advertising Jobs - MarketingJobs.com |
Employment site for marketing and sales professionals. |
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The Chartered Institute of Marketing |
The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the world's largest international marketing professional body and helps with career support and information ... |
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Marketing: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with marketing on Technorati. |
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Marketing Profs - Marketing Concepts and Strategies: Expert ... |
Marketing knowhow from professionals. Newsletter, articles and how-to's. |
www.marketingprofs.com |
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Guerrilla Marketing Online - The Official Site |
Guerrilla Marketing Online is anonline magazine for small business, entrepreneurs, sales people and marketers of all kinds. |
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Business Marketing - Small Business Marketing |
Business marketing - Read everything your need to know about small business marketing. |
www.entrepreneur.com |
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All About Marketing |
Adapted from Field Guide to Nonprofit Program Design, Marketing and Evaluation ... Inbound Marketing Includes Market Research to Find Out: ... |
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Pages tagged with "marketing" on del.icio.us |
USA Network Announces a NASHVILLE STAR Marketing Partnership With ... - Yahoo! ... Direct Marketing Association: Telephone, Mail & Internet Marketing ... |
del.icio.us |
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ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers |
Includes columns with commentary and analysis on a wide variety of internet marketing subjects ranging from B2B marketing to search engine marketing. |
www.clickz.com |
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Direct Marketing Association: Telephone, Mail & Internet Marketing |
Trade association for users and suppliers in the direct, database and interactive marketing fields, offering seminars and resources, and lobbying for ... |
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