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Why the Best
Marketing Tactics May Fail You
Ever wonder why some marketing tactics work
for some businesses but not others? Maybe you heard
about a business that paints their company website's
URL on the top of their delivery trucks and increased
online sales by 25% in a single quarter. However, when
you try the same tactic, your sales remain flat.
The reason most marketing tactics fail is
that they are not part of a comprehensive marketing
strategy. A comprehensive marketing strategy helps you
to choose which tactics will work for your business
and keep the sales coming in like clockwork no matter
what the economy.
Imagine you are on a hunting trip. You find
yourself standing in the middle of a field with your
rifle in your hand. Without a marketing strategy,
you'll be shooting at every leaf that the wind picks
up.
Your marketing strategy will help you to decide
whether you should be shooting at rabbits or
elephants. Not only will your marketing strategy help
you to define your target, it will help you hit that
target when you raise your rifle to your shoulder and
take aim.
This analogy is rich with meaning. If you're
hunting Polar Bears, then Times Square in New York
City is not going to provide a lot of opportunity for
you to bag your desired trophy.
In addition to picking the right spot to hunt,
you need to pick your weapon based upon the animal
you're hunting. The same ammunition that effectively
kills a rabbit or squirrel is just going to annoy a
rhinoceros. Conversely, the ammunition that drops a
rhino is going to obliterate smaller game.
If you have never shot a rifle before, the
you should know that the sight on a rifle will
determine whether you hit your target. If the sight is
out of alignment, even though you have the target
lined up with your sight, you will not hit the target.
You will, instead, end up shooting above, below or to
either the left or right of your target. Even if your
shooting mechanics are flawless, a rifle with a sight
that is out of alignment will prevent you from hitting
your target.
When your marketing strategy combines the rifle
with the properly aligned sight, you will find your
shooting accuracy will improve dramatically.
Four Steps of Creating Powerful Marketing
Strategies
STEP ONE - Research, research research
This is where you find out what you do not
know. The more you know, the better your marketing
strategy will be.
Leave no stone unturned as you define:
Your customers
Age, income, education, marital statues, religious
preferences, comfort level with technology, where they
live, where they work, what they drive.
You just cannot know enough about your customers.
Your competitors
Who are they? Are they only in your industry? What is
their USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? Why do their
customers choose them?
You may be surprised to discover your
competition is not another business after all.
Consider the car wash chain that discovered their
biggest competitor was their own customer! Instead of
looking to annihilate the other car wash facilities,
this chain began focusing their marketing efforts on
educating their customers on the benefits to bringing
their car to them instead of washing their cars at
home. Sales increased significantly once this chain
realized where to point their marketing strategy.
Another often overlooked "competitor" is the ever
present "Do nothing". Doing nothing is always an
option. Frequently, it's the service professional's
strongest competitor. Never underestimate the power of
doing nothing.
STEP TWO - Determine the problems your
customer has and the solutions you offer.
Everyone has problems. Marketing is merely
the act of bringing your solutions before the people
who need it most and are ready, willing and able to
pay for it.
Once you know everything about your customer, you
already know the solutions he or she is seeking.
STEP THREE - Determine the emotional
triggers that will ignite your sales.
The act of buying is a complex and emotional
decision. The reason your customer is making a
purchase is not always readily apparent. While you may
be selling candles, your customers may be buying:
Emergency lighting
Aroma therapy
Ambiance
Find out why your customers are buying and you will
be on your way to marketing success.
STEP FOUR - Creating a strategy that results
in breakthrough performance for your marketing efforts
Now it is time to take the information
gathered in the first three steps to create a precise
marketing strategy for your business or product.
Following these four steps is the foundation
for creating a precise marketing strategy that will
break through to your best clients and customers.
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