Category Archives: Creative Business Ideas

Marketing With A Beginner’s Mind

Targeted Marketing Achieved With a Beginner's Mind
(Photo by DeeAshley )

The easiest thing about marketing your own business is that you’re the world’s expert at what you’re selling. The hardest thing about marketing your own business is that your prospective customers are not likely experts in understanding what you’re selling.

You know all the pros and cons of your offering. You understand all the detailed specifications and shortcomings. When you have a conversation with a prospective customer who’s highly educated about your technical expertise, you “click well”. They understand what you’re saying and vice versa. But unless you’re only targeting highly-informed customers, your marketing is likely off-the-mark.

Think of your marketing like dating. You first want to “get” your date. What are they saying? What are they needing in their life? How do they make decisions? Only after you “get them” can you focus on having them “get you”.

Japanese Zen Buddhism introduced the concept of “shoshin” (“Beginner’s mind”). Approach your marketing by thinking like a non-expert in what you’re the expert of. This will no doubt hard for you, since it’s been a long time since you’ve been a beginner in your field. But if you can convey your message to a beginner, someone who doesn’t necessarily know what they’re looking for, your marketing is likely to connect with your entire market.

Beginners may not have a clearly articulated problem. They just have a vague problem and are looking for an answer. Position your business squarely by clearly giving voice to what a beginner is needing to hear. You can then showcase that you’re not simply talking to beginners, but your entire niche.

“A Solution” vs. “The Solution”

The Right Marketing Solutions
(Photo by Northern Ireland Executive)

There’s a world of difference between “a” and “the“. When you’re marketing your business, are you positioning yourself as “a solution” or “the solution” to the challenges your prospective client is facing?

If you are “a solution“, you are stating that your offering is interchangeable with any of your competitors. In some cases, that’s a good thing. It means that you’re following some best practices, likely using the industry standards for achieving your clients’ goals. But that also means that you need to find something that makes you stand out from your competition. After all, if you’re interchangeable, then what’s the big difference between what you and they are selling?

If you are “the solution“, then that means that you’ve carefully identified your niche, deeply understand the problems they face,  gotten to the crux of their needs, and have a unique way of solving the problem. You’re the leader, you’re confident, and everyone else is second best. There’s also a huge bonus for this positioning: online searches. The better you can articulate the problems (and your answers) the easier will it be for people who are searching for answers to find YOU.

If your target audience is risk averse, then it makes sense to be “a solution” – with some clear differentiation. However, it’s always better to be perceived as the leader. Your competition will inadvertently help market your business by comparing themselves to your company, strengthening your leadership status.

When marketing your business, it’s all in the details.

The Priority 5

Prioritize Your Marketing

(Photo by Richard Summers)

With all your various tasks, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. At best, you over-stress yourself and over-deliver your services. At worst, you over-stress and under-deliver. Before you start a new project, make sure to develop a checklist to ensure you don’t forget any key pieces and ensure you sequence your sub-tasks appropriately:

1) Deadline. What are the real-world constraints facing you? Are there other people who will take your work and then use it to start their workflow? Are there submission deadlines (for publication) that need to be respected?

2) Estimates. Overconfidence in scheduling is highly dangerous. If you’ve done this same work hundreds of times, and can crank it out with a high degree of certainly, that’s great. For the rest of us, guess how long something will take and double it.

3) Constraints. Is there: a sequence to getting the work done, a fixed budget, or specific resources required? Hidden constraints generally show themselves at the least opportune time. Be sure to double check your assumptions.

4) Reward. Extrinsically, what’s the reward for achieving your goals (money or fame)? Intrinsically, how important is it to you to achieve the goals (satisfaction, confidence, or education)? To keep nourishing your business, find something intrinsically valuable in every project you work on (and be sure to remind yourself of it when frustration is high).

5) Risk. What’s the chance for failure? Whatever part of the project worries you the most schedule the earliest. If there’s a big obstacle, you want the most time to be able to focus your attention on it. Too often people schedule the hardest for the last, assuming that things will work out. You don’t want to sound a last-minute alarm to your clients.

If you prioritize, you’re not guaranteed smooth sailing. But you will be guaranteed that you’ll arrive at your planned destination.

2 Things Your Marketing Must Convey

2 Key Marketing Strategy Tips

(Photo by JD Hancock)

Let’s say you’ve done your marketing strategy homework. You know specifically who your target market is and where they’re located. You know what makes your offering unique in the eyes of your prospective customers. Do you know what the two key things you must convey in your marketing?

What problem do you solve? You know how wonderful your offering is. You know how much better it is that your competition. You know all the deep specifications or “magical ingredients” you offer. But in the eyes of your customer, this initially doesn’t matter. You must clearly say “This product (or service) solves this problem that you have”. Don’t assume that your target market can connect your offering with their problem. Make it blindingly obvious so they don’t have to think about it. Remember, your target audience is walking around with a set of challenges/problems they are looking to solve. By phrasing your offering in terms of their problem, you make it easier for them to decide if they’re interested in what you’re selling.

How does your solution reduce costs? After answering the “What problem are you solving?”, the next question people will have is “How will this save me money (or time or risk)?” Again, just because you know the nuts-and-bolts of your offering doesn’t mean that your prospects will be able to read your technical specifications or do the math. Make the savings clear, whether it be for: training, mean time between failure, scalability, etc.

These two points are necessary not just for marketing to consumers, but to retailers/distributors as well – they want to know what they need to convey to their customers. Think like your customer to make your marketing much more effective.

If Only…

Overnight Marketing Success

(Photo by Nisha A)

Have you thought (or heard others say), “If only I could get on TV, people would love me!” Or, “If only I could get viral, people would love me.” Or even, “If only I could get 1% of the market, I’d be rich.” It’s important to dream of success, but the (sad) reality is there’s no magical shortcut.

The media loves to share stories of businesses that have “overnight” success. One day they were struggling in their garage, and the next day, seemingly by luck, they get “that phone call (or email)“. The big order. The important columnist. The big-pocketed investor. And it’s clear that they’ll be struggling no more. They won! Why can’t your business get “that call”?

The truth is that “overnight” success doesn’t truly happen. We like to hear (and retell) the story of the nobody who becomes a somebody – because we want the next “nobody” to be us. Our short-horizon culture doesn’t focus on the true story: there’s no shortcut for working hard.

But hard work alone isn’t enough. We need to work on solutions to problems that people are willing to pay us for – and be able to position our offering in these same peoples’ eyes. And still this isn’t enough.

We need to regularly talk with our prospective customers. We have to listen to their changing needs, changing solutions, and changing technologies. We need to initially offer something imperfect (and incomplete), and be willing to evolve our solution over time. We need to be willing to be wrong and be strong defending ourselves when we are right.

Be your own “fairy business godmother”.

P.S. If you want to learn some specific ways to increase the “viral-ness” of your offering, read my book review of: Contagious: Why Things Catch On.

Push-Me Pull-You Marketing

Push vs. Pull Marketing

(Photo by Elme-Wych)

When most people think of marketing, they think of pushing information to as many channels as possible (television, radio, billboard, flyers, newspapers, magazines, mailers, trade shows, showrooms, skywriters, etc.). The bigger the audience, the higher the likelihood to get noticed. That worked well when there were few channels that had a rapt audience. It was efficient and simple. Nowadays, such blanketing efforts requires a large budget to cover the ever-increasing marketing channels.

Pull marketing seeks to connect with people who are looking for what you have, when they need it. That means you need to first understand who‘s looking:

  • Where are they located?
  • What age range are they typically?
  • Gender?
  • Income level?
  • When do they look?

Then, where are your audience looking for solutions:

  • Yelp?
  • Online Search?
  • 3rd party Independently verifiers?
  • Friends?

And you’ll need to understand how they ask for help finding solutions:

  • Is it a phrase they type into search engines?
  • Are there already expert communities that serve this group?
  • Are they looking for proven answers or clues?

Once you understand their process, you can put yourself in the right spot to be discovered. You’ll still need to do your homework clearly articulating your message, but for each different location they look you have the ability to craft an appropriately targeted message – that shows you’re attuned to their needs and terminology.

The right mix of push and pull marketing isn’t an absolute number. It’s based on studying the effects of your marketing efforts over time, and revisiting assumptions you make (what worked last year may no longer work this year). A trade show + pay-per-click campaign may be the right mix for your business.

If you’re just starting out, think pull. Push is too expensive and you likely don’t know why/if people will purchase from you. Use pull to learn about your prospective customers first, then introduce push once you’re sure you’re targeting them well.

Create a Movement

Create a Movement For Your Marketing

(Photo by Viva Iquique)

If you’re selling a product or service for the masses, then your goal isn’t to sell one at a time – it’s to create a passionate fan club – or a movement. Lady Gaga. The Marines. They each have names for their followers. So where do you start to create your own fan club?

It begins by having a core group of people who love what you’re offering. These early adapters are generally seeking for the next “new thing” and share their “finds” with their followers. But because they are used to having businesses trying to attract their attention (and usurp their followers), they are a bit selective. After all, they build their status by carefully curating discoveries with their audience. The better their insights, the bigger the following they hope to create. Therefore, it’s not enough to simply announce “I’m here” and let these adapters find you.

So you need to find them – and figure out what piques their interest. Once you understand their passion, build on it. Make them proud to be part of the “big picture”. Give them a reason to not simply share your information, but to rally behind your message. Give them access to “inside information”. Help them to look even more special by sharing this special knowledge with their people.

Don’t forget to thank them for achievements. Show them how what they’re doing matters to your company…and the world. Cede some public relations power to them. Keep them engaged. Ask them questions. Listen. Respond. But keep leading – it’s not a democracy. Many people simply want to follow something they love.

But like any fan club or movement, people get tired of “your message” and will move on to the next “new thing”. That’s natural, and expected. So don’t make your entire marketing strategy about getting buzz. Make this a piece of the whole – perhaps think of this as kindling for your marketing fire.

And be sure to not disappoint your fans – they can turn quickly – and undo the hard work you invested in them.

How To Grow Your Brand

How To Grow Your Marketing Brand

(Photo by Amplified Group)

If you’ve been in business a while, people have likely pigeonholed what you do, for whom, and your “claim to fame”. That’s a good thing, but it also prevents you from growing your brand (or changing direction). If you were selling shoes, and now are selling real-estate, your brand will have trouble stretching, and your credibility will suffer. So how can you grow your brand?

If you’re simply expanding your offerings naturally (a product line extension, a new targeted application of your existing technology, or a new flavor) you ought to:

  • Explain what’s new.
  • How this naturally tells the story of your growth (we started out here, and as we saw more demand or opportunity we seized the chance)
  • Ensure your existing clientele that you’re not abandoning them – just continuing to do great things for new people.

If you’re instead going in a new direction (showcasing a entirely new skill set, reaching an entirely different market, or selling something that your existing clientele might not care about), you need to team up with someone else who has expertise/strong branding in your new area. When you start in a new area, no one likely knows you (even if you have a strong brand recognition in a different area). And if they knew of the “old” business model, they might think you’re overreaching and not immediately trust your offering. So instead of trying to strike out on your own, team up. After a few exposures to your teamwork, people will start to believe that:

  • Since the expert teamed up with you, you must be good.
  • Your new brand makes sense, since an expert validated it.
  • You are who you say you are.

A great team is mutually beneficial. Your expert will help you get noticed in your new niche. Your expertise in another niche will enhance the expert’s credibility (I’m the person they came to roll out this new important offering). Your team doesn’t have to be a long-term relationship – just long enough for you to be able to benefit from the “lift”.

Fall In Love With Your Marketing

Inspire Love In Your Marketing

(Photo by Schipulites)

You have likely heard the “usual” advice on how to market your products and services: identify a clearly unique benefit that your target audience is desperately searching for. Are they in pain? You offer quick pain relief. Looking for extra income? You have a tried-and-true system. It’s basic lock-and-key thinking. But people aren’t ruled by logic, and what seems like a logical approach often fails. What can you do?

You need to appeal to people’s emotions, since the world of choices is seldom black-and-white. You can create comparison tables, case studies, infographics all to highlight how wonderful your offering is (and better than the competition). How people decide in a “gray” world is with emotions (whether they’re aware of it or not). And once the basic needs in someone’s life are met (food, water, shelter, safety) the next one is ultimately love. People want to feel more love in their life – but it doesn’t have to be perceived as romantic love. For some, love feels like safety. For others, it’s freedom – or connectedness – or strength – or confidence.

So, consider how your marketing makes people feel. What words do you use? Images? Colors? Stories? What about your body language, phone demeanor, or videos? Conveying emotion in your marketing could be as simply as using photos of smiling (or sad) people, or choosing to appeal to people’s senses (“imagine the smell of freshly baked bread…”), or even a genuine “thank you for calling” message.

If you’re not sure how you’re being perceived, ask prospective clients “How likely would you be to deal with me when the time is right?” You’re not looking for “Oh, of course I’d hire you!” You’re looking for a strong resonance between your message and their needs.

If you are passionate in what you offer, then an emotional connection is naturally imbued in your marketing. Make sure to stay true to your business passion.

This article was inspired by:

Offering Premium Goods And Services

Premium Marketing For Higher Profits

(Photo by cumi&ciki)

If you’re looking to diversify your business menu of services (or products), consider offering premium services. It’s how airlines, hotels, restaurants, and clothiers generate additional income. It is often is a large profit center since for a big price increase, you don’t have a commensurate increase in costs.

Not all businesses are ripe for premium offerings. If you’re known for selling goods inexpensively, higher-priced goods are unlikely to be attractive to your prospective customers. If you’re already selling high-end services, offering an even-higher level of service is likely to create a backlash to your existing clientele. But if you’re selling a middle-of-the-road product, then a premium offering may make sense.

The key is to offer something that people want that’s a natural extension of your offerings: faster (quicker turnaround), more exclusive (better materials, one-of-a-kind products), more convenient (better hours, in-home/office meetings), and/or higher tolerances (higher quality finish, measurement, etc.) . If you offer technical support, then in-home service round-the-clock may be attractive to the right customer. If you offer administrative services, then rush services (three days instead of a week) may command an additional premium. When pricing premium offerings, make sure to account for the cost of the additional level of service (more time, more materials, more travel) to ensure that it’s premium income and premium service.

There’s a subtle secondary psychological benefit to offering premium services/goods. Let’s say you sell dresses that average $100. Now also offer a dress made from a premium material or special fittings for $400. People may initially think that your $100 dress is expensive. But in the face of a $400 dress, your $100 dress seems downright cheap. This “decoy pricing” is used in higher-aspirational stores: restaurants, auto showrooms, shoe stores, etc. and is proven to increase sales.

Treat all your clients wonderfully. Just offer “something extra” for those that are willing to pay for the privilege.