Integrity and Marketing - Finding the Right Balance
When marketing themselves to leads and prospects there are five common mistakes people make, all which can be easily avoided by finding the right balance to maintain your personal and professional integrity in all pursuits.
Five common mistakes many people make are;
1. Talking too much.
Enthusiasm sells! But don’t talk too much about yourself - focus on your prospects needs and wants and how you can solve their problems.
2. Not listening.
All good marketers have exceptional listening skills. Be an active not a passive listener. Ask plenty of questions to find out what problems your client has so you can provide a solution.
3. Hard sell.
Even in desperate times always avoid a hard sell approach. Ignoring the needs of the client or your own company can have long term effects and result in the loss of potential work both immediately and in the future.
Always market the benefits - the “What’s In It for ME” approach really does work and is better than purely focusing on selling the features.
4. Lack of clarity.
It is a competitive market out there and you need to focus on your UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. What is it that makes you, your service or product unique and
different from others? Once you have identified this you have your strongest selling point, and the focus of your marketing campaigns.
5. Distractions.
Life is really busy. Some people are too busy and easily distracted from the main game.
Learn as much as you can about setting goals, writing them down and working out on a daily basis the important tasks to do. It’s called time and priority management and is a hallmark of successful people. Remember the “3 D’s - Do It, Dump It or Delegate It” and if your life or your job depends on it - then it is a Must-do “A” priority, the rest can wait. Focus is a powerful thing.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom’s blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com
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Smart Business Owners Advertise with Two Things in Mind
The marketing field is flooded with sources and experts. How does a business owner weed through these sources - and all their advice - to find someone who can help grow businesses effectively and affordably? Smart business owners always advertise with two things in mind: 1. The Ten Commandments of Marketing; 2. The Ten Commandments of the Bible.
The Ten Commandments of Marketing
1. Get a marketing plan. Even the simplest of plans can help business owners avoid wasting literally thousands of dollars and sometimes years of lost business growth.
2. A business owner’s main focus should be on growing business. Hire consultants to handle accounting, taxes, marketing or any other tasks that may distract from growing business.
3. Business owners should know their customers. Their customer is not they or their spouse or their best friend. They should constantly talk to real customers and test their message on them.
4. Pick a niche. No one is going to believe that one business or product is the best, the fastest and the cheapest. Pick one. And stick with it.
5. Advertise products’ benefits - not their features. Customers don’t care about the 786-megawatt superconductor. They just want to know how it’s going to save them time, make them money or improve their image.
6. Specialized products should be advertised through direct media channels. Products offering something for everyone should be advertised through mass media channels.
7, Keep words to a minimum. Enough said.
8. Generally, prospects need to hear or see a message at least nine times. Generally, prospects need to hear or see a message at least nine times. Generally…
9. Stay ahead of customers. Stick with what works, but watch sales trends.
If trends start changing, products and/or marketing mix may need a change.
10. Free advertising is the best kind. If something is really newsworthy, let the media know.
The Ten Commandments of the Bible
Being aware of the Ten Commandments of the Bible will help business owners select a good marketing specialist. Most marketing specialists probably can’t recite the Commandments. But they should know they frown on stealing, lying, cheating, and a few other things.
A good marketing specialist will ask a lot of questions; they’ll give some free advice; they’ll provide a very close estimate and guarantee to work within the estimated boundaries. In short, they don’t lie, cheat or steal.
Smart business owners listen to their gut instincts to find a good marketing consultant. A good one will ask a lot of questions about the specific business, its history, its successes and failures. They’ll ask where the owner thinks the business should go; they’ll give some free advice; they’ll provide a very close estimate for the work they recommend; they’ll guarantee to work within the estimated boundaries. In short, they’ll care about the Client. If they don’t, move on. This sounds like simple advice, but it’s surprising how many business owners throw out these rules and don’t listen to their gut instincts.
By following the Ten Commandments of Marketing and the Ten Commandments of the Holy Bible, success will come easier. All business owners seem to do a lot of praying when it comes to the state of their business anyway, so it just seems fitting to tie the two together.
Holly George, Award-Winning Advertising Expert & Marketing Spitfire, shows small business owners how to blast their business to the next level of success. Find out more at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com