What do you do if your business, product or service is something hardly anyone is aware of or understands? Or worse yet, if it is something they are afraid of or want to avoid?
My answer is three-fold.
First, focus on the SOLUTION you are providing
What is the primary problem your prospects have that you can solve? Do they have pain you can relieve? Do they have an ailment or affliction you can cure? In these cases, you are not selling your "scary" or "misunderstood" product or service, you are selling pain relief or healing.
It is imperative you look at what you are selling from your prospects' perspective and talk about it terms of a solution for them.
Second, understand your competitive advantage
You must understand how what you sell stacks up against the other options your prospects have. Is it superior? Do the effects last longer? Is it safer? Is it cheaper? The list of questions could go on forever.
In the end, you must be able to clearly communicate to your prospects how you can help them in a way no one or nothing else can. This makes your "scary" or "misunderstood" product or service the only logical alternative for them and will help to overcome any obstacles or fear they may have. It simply becomes THE best solution for the problem the have.
Third, undertake an educational marketing effort
Through your web site, a newsletter or ezine, special reports, tele-seminars and presentations, or other free information products and services, you have an excellent opportunity to educate your prospects about your product or service and to dispel any fears or misconceptions they may have.
You may even want to enlist testimonials from satisfied clients. People very often believe what others say about your business more than what you say. If you don't yet have clients to gather testimonials from, treat some friends or colleagues to your product or service and ask them to provide you with testimonials in exchange. It's a great way to get your business off to a great start!
(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa
20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com
Face it?you know you've got to do something to keep... Read More
I think selling and marketing today often feels a bit... Read More
With so much money invested on innefective advertising, it's time... Read More
1. Advertise in trade journals, ezines, and web sites that... Read More
What's black and white and read all over? A newsletter... Read More
Okay, we were kidding about the smoke, but not about... Read More
Trading reciprocal links is one of the best ways to... Read More
Cinch your success with 8-second leaders! Step into the saddle... Read More
Grant Businesses have a love-hate relationship with the Yellow Page... Read More
"Dig your well before you're thirsty" is the title of... Read More
You can love it or you can hate it but... Read More
It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has... Read More
Have you ever wondered why the phones aren't ringing the... Read More
It is very important to regularly monitor your advertising activities... Read More
You muted the commercials on the TV last night because... Read More
Are your direct mail response rates lower than you expect?... Read More
So... you spend time and effort putting together a survey,... Read More
I nearly panicked recently! Well, maybe a slight exaggeration but... Read More
Our ego can get in the way of marketing our... Read More
As an educated professional, your success is based on what... Read More
Before you can market, you need to know who you... Read More
Every business and professional practice MUST be in the public... Read More
In my experience, there are two kinds of small business... Read More
What is a Joint Venture? A joint venture is an... Read More
How to Gain your Prospective Clients' Attention and Generate the... Read More
"Buy this magazine or we'll shoot the dog," went a... Read More
Every business needs customers, but more importantly every business needs... Read More
Trade Shows are lots of work, but they can generate... Read More
John's a freelance photographer in Ohio who called to tell... Read More
Narrowing your focus to one primary group of people is... Read More
You DO use direct marketing for your small business? right?... Read More
Traditional marketing and advertising assumes that all of your customers... Read More
It was a real eye-opener to hear the perceptions people... Read More
While success with any internet marketing program falls on the... Read More
What is the biggest problem most marketers have? Who knows.... Read More
At first glance, nothing seems more chaotic than a trade... Read More
Preparing a Marketing Plan for your product or service is... Read More
We all know the value of writing articles for promoting... Read More
Pre-note: In this article, teleclass is an example used to... Read More
Recently, I stopped by a new car wash in my... Read More
Postcards may be one of the best kept secrets of... Read More
Do you know your audiences? I mean really know... Read More
Voice Mail is a classy name for "answer Machine". Problem... Read More
Some years ago, a prominent Australian hi-tech company... Read More
While Internet legend (and young pup) Frank Kern would have... Read More
Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More
I don't know about you, but I secretly love watching... Read More
These steps are taken from the Referral Flood Marketing Program.... Read More
"Try not to become a man of success but rather... Read More
Most marketers believe that anything is achievable if you are... Read More
Marketing Marketing |
|