Three Marketing Rules You Must Follow
by John Sanpietro, Certified Business Coach
For many stamping business owners, marketing is one of the most difficult aspects of their business. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most necessary. Without marketing, how are customers and prospects going to know about you, your company and your product? And without that knowledge, how are you going to be profitable?
As much as you may feel uncomfortable with marketing, the good news is marketing is fairly simple and straightforward. If you understand the rules of marketing, you're going to have a much easier time with it.
Honestly, there are many marketing rules, but here are three of the most important ones to follow:
1. Develop A Clear Picture Of Your Ideal Customer
Too often, stamping business owners have, at best, a vague image of who their target audience is. Problem is, if the image of your ideal customer is vague, your marketing will be vague, as well. And if your marketing is vague, it won't be as strong or resonate with your audience.
If a potential customer doesn't come away with the feeling you're speaking directly to them, they're not going to take action. They're not going to buy.
However, when you know exactly who you're speaking to, your marketing becomes easier to write (just picture your ideal customer sitting across from you at a table), and will be much more effective.
Don't give up on filling in the details of your target audience member until you could actually pass for one of them if challenged!
2. Don't Make Them Guess
Whether it's because we don't know any better, or we're uncomfortable asking for business, a lot of the marketing I see from stamping business owners is somewhat fuzzy on what, exactly, they'd like their potential customer to do next. In other words, there isn't a strong Call To Action.
A Call To Action describes the next step. It says, now that you've read/watched/listened to this, here's what I want you to do next: buy this, click here, sign up for this, leave a comment, etc.
Without a clear Call To Action, the potential customer has to guess what you'd like them to do next. Unfortunately, most don't guess correctly… or at all.
If your Call To Action isn't direct and crystal-clear, you lose a lot of potential business.
3. Don't Give Up Too Soon
Marketing is about frequency and repetition. It takes a lengthy and consistent effort to get your potential customers to even acknowledge your marketing… much less, take action on it.
On average, a potential customer isn't even consciously aware of your marketing until the 3rd or 4th time they see it, and they don't respond to it until the 9th time they see it. Many, if not most stamping business owners give up long before this.
A combination of blogging, social media and (especially) email marketing will give you the consistency you need to deliver your messages effectively.
Don't expect customers to rush to your door! Slow and steady definitely wins the race.
Follow each of these rules every time you work on your marketing, and your marketing will be a LOT more successful!
Warmest regards,
John
John Sanpietro
Certified Professional Development Coach
Stamping Is My Business!
www.stampingismybusiness.com
THE LIST BUILDING AND EMAIL MARKETING BOOT CAMP
http://www.stampingismybusiness.com/2013listboot.html
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