 |
 |
 |
           |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Avoid Being Vague
We are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily?on television and the radio, on the internet, in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and other signs, and even at the bottoms and on the backs of receipts. The world is, indeed, a very noisy place. And in order to get heard, we need our marketing messages to be clear and concise. A vague message is one that isn't easily understood - it doesn't speak to a potential customer or client. To be successful in business, our messages must clearly target a specific audience, explaining to them the features and benefits of our product or service. We need to get the public involved and interested enough to want to have further conversations with us. Only then do we have the entrée for beginning to develop a relationship with them, the first step in the selling process. How can we ensure that our messages are all that they can be? 1. Define your target market. One of the best ways to create a clear output is to start with clear inputs. When it comes to anything you do for your business, you need to be very clear on your target market. Who do you want to reach with your marketing efforts? Define them as clearly as possible. Are they male or female? What are their ages, their occupations, and their lifestyles? Why would they want to do business with you? The more clear you are about who you want to work with, the more clear you will be when crafting your marketing messages. 2. Market narrowly, but deliver broadly. Your marketing message should be carefully focused to cater specifically to the needs and wants of your target market. One might think you'd be passing up opportunities for more customers or clients. The reality is that more people will be attracted to you if you position yourself as a specialist rather than a generalist. Folks associate a higher degree of expertise with a specialist, and, more than likely, you'll be able to charge premium prices to reflect this marketing position. Once you've gotten their attention you can market many things to them (delivery broadly). 3. Talk about the customer, not yourself. Your marketing message should speak to the prospect, their particular needs and wants. What problems can you solve for the customer? Make a list of the top 10 problems that you solve for others. These should be the substance and focus of every conversation that you have. Avoid talking about yourself. People are interested in what you can do for them - sometimes even more than the specifics of the product or service that you offer. Your prospects needs and your solutions should be the focus of all of your marketing materials. 4. Explain the benefits. Not only should you explain the benefits of your product or service, but you should be able to explain the benefits of working with you. Features are defined as the distinctive characteristics of a product's use or design. A benefit, on the other hand, is how the feature will add value to the prospect's life. Carefully define your features and benefits. At the same time, what are the benefits of working with you? Do you provide 24-hour turnaround? Do you return emails and phone calls promptly? Do you offer a free introductory consultation? Do you provide additional value to your customers - extra reports, information or discounts on future purchases? People buy benefits, not features. What's in it for them? Let them know! 5. Know your products and services. There is a lot to know when it comes to your products and services. The more articulate you are in explaining their features and benefits, the higher your chances of closing a sale. For each product or service you offer, make sure you can clearly articulate the features, the benefits, and the specific client need that is addressed. Word this information in language that prospects can clearly understand - that relates to who they are as a target market. Drafting a simple one-page summary of these details can help you to get clear on what matters most. 6. Keep it simple. The best messages are those that are simply said. People understand simple. The more complex the explanation, the higher the risk you run that you'll "lose them along the way." Again, refer back to the one page summary of your client needs, as well as product or service features and benefits. Provide information that is easy to understand. Don't give more information until the client asks for the information. Always let the prospect guide the conversation. 7. Use a tagline. A tagline is a slogan or phrase that conveys something about a feature or benefit of something you offer. For example, the tagline for Chase Manhattan bank is "The Right Relationship is Everything". This slogan clearly communicates that one of the features of working with them is relationship - not just any relationship - but the right relationship. Another example of a tagline is Alicia Smith: The DISC Ninja. The DISC Ninja implies skill, precision, and performance. What type of tagline can best describe you and your business? 8. Consult your R & D team. To create on-target marketing messages, run them by your friends, family, and colleagues before you release them to the world. Creating your own R & D team is a great way to experiment or to try out your ideas in a low-risk environment. Probably one of the best things to do is to get feedback from your current customers. They can tell you first hand what works and why. Never pass up an opportunity to get feedback, as it will help you to fine-tune your marketing message. 9. Provide clear and clean information. It should go without saying that you should provide clear, easy-to-understand information. This applies to everything from your business card to your website. Make sure you include your complete contact information on everything, including your email signature. Provide FAQ or Frequently Asked Question sections in brochures, on your website or on other marketing materials. Make sure that you make it as easy as possible for people to contact you and to do business with you. If they need to search for how to contact you, they may very well search someone else out. Along with the times and days you do business, include your business, cellular, and fax numbers, as well as your website and email addresses. Include instructions on how to return or receive a refund on an item. Clear and concise is the name of the game. 10. Understand the customer. Prospects, and even your current customers, are focused on one thing and one thing only; what's in it for them. For the most part, they aren't really interested in you or your product or service. They are interested in benefits. How can you solve their pain? How can you resolve their issues? If you keep this in mind, this will help you to create marketing messages that are focused and really hit their mark. © Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith Alicia Smith, a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping people Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 26 lessons contained in her audio program, Marketing Marathon Blunders From A - Z. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com or http://www.AliciaSmith.com. You can also email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Electronic Display Signs Electronic display signs are used nowadays in great extent to display important information instantly all over the world, which uses LED technology, which stands for light- emitting diodes. These are widely used in the worlds of commerce, government and even non-profit organizations. Not Another Calendar! - Choose Advertising Specialties That Sell As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other day, I found dozens of pens, pencils, letter openers, sticky-note pads, oversized paper clips, rulers, dental floss, calendars, magnets, whatsits and thing-a-ma-bobs, each with the name of a business on the front. In looking through my "collection" I discovered some things I love and use and others that I can't imagine why I picked them up. The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It? Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many "truths" about advertising. The question I have for you today is this - "Is the only bad advertising, no advertising?"Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so here's one definition:"Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individual's paid persuasive information regarding products, and or services via various media. 3 Elements To A Deal-Sealing Classified Ad Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad fails to attract the attention you desire? There should be dozens-no, hundreds-of perspective buyers swamping your e-mail inbox with offers. After all, you are offering a mint baseball card, a vintage coat, pristine used car, those wholesale-priced sporting goods, and whatever other attractive items are in your inventory. Understanding Internet Banner Advertising Banner advertising is an effective way of getting your advertising message seen on the Internet. Banner ads should not be your only online form of advertising, but they are an essential part of your online advertising mix. Take Your Radio Ads to the Next Level Most small businesses do not have a high powered advertising agency to produce award-winning radio commercials for them. Most award-winning radio commercials win for the wrong reasons anyway. Marketing Lessons I Learned in Chicago this Week... I was in the fine city of Chicago this week to speak at a marketing conference. And I learned some interesting things: 1 - Traffic in Chicago is much worse than the allegedly bad traffic in Atlanta where I live. Womentisements The unnecessary and extensive use of female models in advertisements is common not only in America & Europe, but also in Pakistan and rest of the world. Women are used to sell everything from cars to cigarettes. Joint Ventures Increase Profits Quickly A joint venture is when two or more businesses join together to work on a project for a set period of time. Doing joint ventures with other businesses can increase your chances of beating your competition, increase your sales and increase your profits quickly. Free Publicity With Dogs, Cats, and Rats Here's a fascinating idea.. Consider These Pressing Facts Before You Renew Your Yellow Page Ad Your Yellow Page Ad Deserves More than 10 Minutes of Thought a YearBefore long, your Yellow Page directory rep will be paying you a visit. It's an annual event that happens several months before next year's directory goes to press. Tips On Writing a Successful Ad When knowledge is based on truth it is powerful!When it is critical knowledge, its presence can drive our success, while its absence may contribute to our failure. I will attempt to convey in this report some useful and practical knowledge about how to write awesome ads for the World Wide Web. Do You Really Need a Brochure? Traditional brochures typically tell the story of your company, i.e. Advertise Where Its Forbidden To The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact. Imaging Isnt Everything Many home improvement contractors attempt to use advertising to expand their client base and increase profits. Whether it be yellow pages, mailers, ads, or valpak; for many it's a total waste of time and money. Send em to the White Pages Your business is listed in the Yellow Pages whether you buy an ad or not. Your business is listed in the Yellow Book and the other phone books, too, no purchase necessary. Online vs. Offline Advertising Let's face it. Email marketing and publishing have became very popular tool for promoting your business, especially in the USA. 6 Must-Have Elements of a Powerful Brochure Most brochures that businesses put out today end up doing little to impact the sales of that business. By applying the 6 must-have elements listed below you will transform you brochure from trash can lining into a powerful sales tool. How You Measure Yourself Is How You Motivate Yourself One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK? Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday? Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead. Boost Headline Believability With Specifics Don't use vague generalities in your headlines. Be as specific as possible.
|
 |