5 Keys to Basic Marketing
In recent months, I have been fascinated by the idea that groups that are sometimes looked at as living in a past century have embraced marketing and modern technology. In fact, they are using it more effectively than many who grew up in the technology age.
Let me explain. These groups understand that to get their message to their audience, they must know their target market. They know who is most likely to respond and why they respond. Once they have these fundamental items they have found where they get their information and how to transmit that data to them.
Through the appropriate medium they appeal to their ideological and demographic wants and needs. They leave ways for the audience to respond and then they close the deal. From what we hear in the news they have gotten extremely proficient. They have found one of their markets is young people, who are tech savvy and can be reached through the Internet.
Does any of this sound familiar? Well, it should. It’s basic marketing and their people have learned how to effectively make it work on the Internet. So let’s take a quick lesson from them and refresh our efforts and our marketing skills. Here are five steps that might help you.
- Know your target market. We often use the terms “who’s most likely to buy” when talking to our clients about their target market. It always frightens me when someone will tell me “Everyone will love my product.” No, they won’t. Identify and establish the type of customer who will see their need or want fulfilled by your product.
- Know why they buy. Once we know who will buy we can determine why they buy. The more we know about why they buy, the more chances we have to convince them to buy using words that appeal to those triggers, both logical and emotional. Your customer needs to sense an expertise that will build trust in your company and the services you offer. As we discover their emotional and ideological wants and needs, you can show them how your product fills the void.
- Know how to get the message to the target market. Now that we know how and why they buy, we need to know how to reach them. In my area, which has a decidedly large percentage of people 60+ years of age, the newspaper is a very good avenue for reaching that market. But for much of the rest of the market, the Internet is becoming a major alternative. Most newspapers are including their news online as well.
- Know how your market shops. If your market is younger, social media and the Internet are the place to be. Large amounts of daily business are performed on a small handheld electronic device by millions of customers. For many customers the big box store is a thing of the past. Consider that your market may shop on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, websites and more. Many business owners develop relationships with other business owners through LinkedIn. If you have a website, you need to know how to bring your website to the top of the list. This is a process called search engine optimization (SEO).
- Know how to close the deal. The ability to close is the single most valuable skill that any sales professional can have. Invite the shopper to buy. Let them know that these items can be bought now. Call for a response. Do they call, fax or email their order now, or do they come to your store? Show them a way to make the purchase.
Take a moment to assess your marketing skills. Do you know your best buyers, why they buy, where to find them and how they get their information? Can you close the deal? There are many online resources to help you learn how to identify your target market and other demographics necessary for figuring out your primary audience.
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