I’m not going to tell you that Im a Marketing guru or leader. But, after nearly 30 years in the business of Sales and Business Coaching, I have learned what I consider some marketing basics. Based on the advertisements I see both online and offline, I think there are still many business owners that dont yet know or practice these fundamentals.
On a recent coaching call, I answered many questions about conducting business in a challenging economy.
One of the questions presented was, “What do you think the best form of marketing is to do in a challenging economy – traditional print, radio and TV, or digital and online marketing?” My answer was no matter what economy you are in, you have to go to where your customers and prospects go to get their information. So, if they still watch television rather than consume information from the Internet or newspapers, then advertise on TV. If they are hanging out on social media sites and surfing the web, then go there. Marketing your services in places where your prospects and customers are not present is a big waste of money.
If you are not sure where your customers get their information… ask them. Send them a survey via e-mail or phone and get a sampling of how they found you and where they go to get their daily news and information.
Once you have determined where to advertise, make sure your ads are concise and include these 2 Must Have’s:
1. A compelling reason to want to do business with you – So many advertisements I see still include a company logo, address and other contact information. But, they dont have any information that distinguishes their unique offer or selling proposition. Give me a reason to want to call you or learn more about what you do. But, DON’T create a wall of type to do this. See how few words you can use to convey your sales message in a clear, compelling and concise manner.
2. A call to action Once you have given the fantastic reason to purchase from your company, tell them what the next step is! Dont make them work at figuring out what they need to do next to become a customer tell them what number to call or landing page to visit, etc. to get started today.
So, in a nutshell, the basics include: Target your ad to where your prospects and customers are most likely to find it; give them a compelling reason to do business with you; and include a call to action to guide them in the next step to working with your organization.
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