The most effective marketing methods are the ones that get you in front of your target markets. So, in order to decide where to be you first have to know what markets you are interested in. And believe me, your product or service is not good for everyone. It’s good for specific audiences.
One reason it’s important to identify those audiences is because your marketing message has to speak directly to a market. Otherwise, they won’t hear it. You can’t market to everyone in hopes that the right ones will hear it. Guess what? When you do this, no one hears your message.
So the first thing is who are you targeting. The next question to answer is what do you want to tell them? Your message should elicit a response of some sort. It could be that they visit your business, or they clip a coupon. Maybe it’s that they register for your event. Whatever you want them to do, build a marketing message around that call to action.
Now you want to decide where and how to market. This also depends on your target markets. For example, if one of your targets is people over 80 years of age you’ll want to advertise, and send things in the mail. Using social media won’t work for that demographic.
Video is a great marketing method. And it’s growing in value every day. From content marketing videos like mine on NE OHIO BizTV Shows® to Facebook live you can show your expertise and your personality. Remember, people do business with people they trust. What better way to gain trust than to share your knowledge with others?
In addition to video, writing can be really valuable as a marketing method. You can write articles and blog posts that provide information your prospects are looking for. When they read your words they get some insight into how you think and what you know.
And there’s always print advertising. For some markets advertising in magazines can be a great way to market. Just be sure you are in a magazine that caters to your audience. Social media is the newest way to market. And here as well it is very important that you spend your time in the right places. You don’t want to be marketing to your target if it isn’t going to hear your message.
So, what will it be? Articles, videos, social media? Pick a couple of paths to follow. Effective marketing requires using a couple of methods at the same time.
For more information, visit my website at Seize This Day.
Read Position Your Business with Effective Marketing and the other informative articles in this issue of Soar to Success magazine.
