Image Credit: ActionMarketingCo.com
Over the years, I’ve run into many business owners who don’t understand why
their business is not more successful than it is. After all, their current
customers seem happy, they just don’t have enough of them (or enough of the
right ones).
The one thing these business owners all have in common is their refusal to
market at all, or to market wisely.
Some believe that all they have to do is post a few tweets and the world
will come knocking at their door (and it’s free!). Of course, how will the
world know that you’re tweeting if they don’t know to look for you, or how
to find you if they do know you?
Others believe that a single ad in the paper or yellow pages or on TV or
radio will bring the masses in. Statistics will tell you that multiple
exposures to your message are critical in order to make a first impression –
let alone a buying decision. Some studies say that, in today’s society, 15
or more “touches” are what it takes to start to make that impression.
All in all, the key to successful marketing lies in the following steps:
1) Define your primary target market. (You may also have a strong secondary
and even tertiary market to consider.)
2) Develop a message that resonates with that target market. One message
does not necessarily apply to all markets.
3) Create a marketing campaign that relays your message through several
different media, depending on your target market. Consider a mix of direct
mail, e-mail, social marketing mobile marketing, promotional products, trade
shows, web-driven, event-driven and more to reach the maximum number of
people the most number of times without becoming annoying.
3.5) Review, tweak and repeat.
When all is said and done, a successful marketing campaign should be an
investment – not an expense.
Are you marketing wisely?
