| p>Regardless of whether your into inbound or | | | | directly measured in it's effectiveness. Bottom line: |
| outbound; direct mail or email; SEO or PPC; print | | | | if you cannot easily calculate your Return on |
| media or social media; press releases or blog | | | | Investment (ROI) on any particular marketing |
| posts, there are specific marketing principles that | | | | investment of time or money, do not do it. Period. |
| have produced amazing results consistently since | | | | If you have a small company or a startup, you |
| the first ad was written and the first sales pitch | | | | can't afford not to do marketing this way and |
| was given. These are principles that oftentimes | | | | don't let any ad rep tell you any different. They |
| get lost in the ether when marketers are hot on | | | | care about selling advertising, not making you the |
| the latest and greatest tactic or tool that | | | | most money. |
| promises to deliver a ravenous herd of | | | | 6. Use multiple media to reach your market. |
| customers or clients that are frothing at mouth | | | | There are so many options; social media, website, |
| for their products or services. In this article I | | | | blog, press releases, article marketing, magazines, |
| reveal 10 of the most powerful marketing | | | | newspapers, websites, video, voice broadcast, |
| principals that will always withstand the test of | | | | billboards, text messages, etc. Find out what |
| time. | | | | media is already reaching your market and then |
| 1. Niche to get rich. This is a powerful principle | | | | figure out how to get your messages there. |
| because you automatically create more value | | | | Then, use as many of these media as you can |
| when you specialize. This is evident across the | | | | afford. We are bombarded with thousands of |
| board. Just look at general doctors vs. specialist | | | | advertising messages each day and it is essential |
| surgeons. Companies and professionals that | | | | to use a multi-media approach to cut through the |
| specialize to serve a particular, focused market | | | | clutter and into the minds of your market. |
| always create more value than those that try to | | | | 7. Price is ten times more elastic than you think. |
| be all things to all people. Money flows to | | | | Test your product and service at higher prices |
| specialization. Take your idea and "niche it down" | | | | because you just might be surprised. Choose to |
| to a specific market segment and watch the cash | | | | abandon traditional thinking and rules about pricing |
| flow. | | | | formulas and industry "norms." Consider how you |
| 2. We all want what we can't have. Scarcity is a | | | | might increase the perceived value of your |
| time-tested and proven marketing principle that | | | | product or service by adding an experiential |
| must not be ignored. Limited supply and limited | | | | component into the mix. Or, create a premium or |
| time are two of the strongest motivators of | | | | deluxe version that sells at a higher price with |
| human behavior. Consider each Christmas | | | | more benefits. |
| shopping season when some hot new toy is | | | | 8. Give your market plenty of reasons why they |
| released and parents are literally fighting with each | | | | should buy. "Reason why" marketing is a |
| other to acquire one for their child. If you want to | | | | well-documented and proven marketing tactic. |
| generate motion in your market then hit them | | | | When you give people reasons why, you connect |
| right between the eyes with an offer for a | | | | with them on an emotional level (which is how we |
| product or service that is in limited supply or only | | | | all make buying decisions). Are there enough |
| available for a limited time or to a limited number | | | | compelling reasons why customers should buy |
| of people and watch them scramble to buy. | | | | your product or service? What makes your |
| 3. Don't delegate marketing decisions. We're talking | | | | product or service so much different from the |
| about the communications that are going out to | | | | others in your category? You've got to be crystal |
| prospective new customers and your current | | | | clear on the answers to these questions before |
| customers. This is critical stuff and you need to | | | | you can really experience a breakthrough in sales. |
| have a deep, deep understanding of marketing to | | | | 9. Inject your marketing with your own |
| properly captain a company. A mistake many | | | | personality. I have had great, great success |
| small businesses and new companies make is | | | | practicing this philosophy. Today, people don't |
| hiring an outside ad agency. These firms aren't | | | | want to do business with faceless corporations, |
| concerned with what's most effective and most | | | | especially with the word "bailout" floating around. |
| measurable. Many of them are trying to win the | | | | People want to do business with other people that |
| next advertising award that may or may not | | | | they like. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there |
| produce results for your business. | | | | and let "you" shine through in your marketing. Of |
| 4. Discriminate. That's right...I said it. You want to | | | | course, some people will like you and some people |
| make your customers qualify to do business with | | | | won't but that's the nature of the game. When |
| you. Who is your ideal customer? If you don't | | | | your customers are tied to you personally, they |
| have the answer to that question on the top of | | | | are much more loyal and are much more willing to |
| your head, then drop what you're doing right now | | | | open their wallets to you. |
| and generate the answer because this is critical. | | | | 10. Create your own category. If you can't be |
| You must know your customer better than they | | | | number one in your category then consider |
| know themselves. It gives you a tremendous | | | | creating a new category. Here's what I mean by |
| advantage over your competition if you know | | | | this: Subway repositioned themselves as a weigh |
| your customer better than they do and can | | | | loss business using the Jared character and his |
| construct better marketing based on that | | | | weight loss plan involving walking and eating |
| knowledge. When you understand your customers | | | | Subway sandwiches. Remember, it is extremely |
| you can speak directly to their interests, desires, | | | | difficult, near impossible even, to dislodge a leading |
| wants and needs and generate much better | | | | competitor. Think about it, has Burger King ever |
| marketing results with less effort and less wasted | | | | come close to beating McDonald's to become |
| time and money. | | | | number one? No way. If your business is |
| 5. Test and track. Marketing is like science class. | | | | positioned in a competitive space, you must figure |
| You do research, develop a hypothesis, and then | | | | out how to reposition your product or service so |
| run a test. Analyze the results, change your | | | | that you can compete in a new subcategory. |
| approach if necessary, and then run another | | | | When you do this, you will leave your competition |
| test...and on, and on. My recommendation is that | | | | confused and in the dust. |
| you not engage in any advertising that cannot be | | | | |