Stupid Marketing Tricks Part VI - Selling YOUR Product

Thus far, we have covered the first 3 key areas to be addressed before attempting to create a marketing plan that will actually produce sales. We have discussed the facts that you must determine:

a. IF there is a market for your product or service

b. if so, HOW MANY people comprise that market, and

c. WHO comprises that market.


So let's complete a short quiz:

1. IS there a market for your product/service? If so, what verifiable sources can you cite? List them.

2. HOW MANY people comprise that potential market? Cite the studies, surveys, verifiable information sources.
(NOTE - Failure to produce verifiable proof sources will cause you to get an F- on this quiz. Please stop fooling yourself and do your homework. Hey, it's your money and time . . . :) )

3. WHO comprises this market? How many profiles have you created? Remember you must know your potential purchasers:

* Gender
* Income Level
* Age
* Occupation
* Education Level
* Geographic region
* Lifestyle characteristics
* Purchasing characteristics
* Hot buttons
* Benefits sought by this profile

The next two very broad steps will cover developing the message and delivering the message.

THE BASIS OF DEVELOPING A MESSAGE FOR EACH PROFILE

Before we get into developing a message, I would like to make a very important point.

All successful marketing messages have, at their core, a common element. Conversely, many unsuccessful (or mediocre) marketing messages have, at their core, a different common element. Do you know what these common elements might be?

Let's look briefly at two, 'in your face' marketing messages:

Message A:
"My Handy Dandy Super Duper Lawn Destroyer 2000 took over 400 hours of research to develop. For the money, it is a real bargain. It has oversized wheels, a comfort rubber handle and a patented Jizmo Gizmo Lever that allows it to be emptied easily. The Lawn Destroyer 2000 is great! You will never find a better lawn mower at a better price. . . ."

Message B:
"This easy to use machine is easy to push and easy to navigate around anything found on your lawn. The handle reduces vibrations, so that your arms never get tired. You can even empty the clippings without bending and stooping. It's so easy to use, even children and grandparents can use it. This kind of comfort cannot be found in any other lawn mower, at any price, anywhere."

Now, what is the difference? Some would say it is FEATURES VS BENEFITS. True. However, what is demonstrated in the second message is that you have the potential clients' best interests at heart.

Listen to me carefully now. Developing an effective marketing message (one that produces the results you seek) has absolutely NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH YOU.

Nothing. It instead has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE PURCHASER.

People do not care about you. They do not care about your product or service. They ONLY CARE ABOUT SOLVING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS, WANTS AND NEEDS AS THEY PERCEIVE THEM.

To develop a message that will work, regardless of profile, you need to get inside that profile's head. You need to solve their problem as THEY wish it to be solved. This involves five steps:

1. Acknowledge and identify the problem/need/want

2. Build up the problem/need/want - make it urgent

3. Offer a very good solution

4. Make the decision easy to implement right now

5. Ask them to solve their own problem/need/want right now

This is not salesmanship - this is helping people. If you learn to help others, you will succeed with the WORST of messages.

Having the best interests of others at heart, and being able to communicate it well, is the key element to successfully marketing anything.

Look at the messages you have been using. Find the 'me's, we's, our's and us's' and cross them all out with a big red pen. Now start over.

Not giving your potential buyers what THEY want is a REALLY stupid marketing trick.

More at http://www.freepublicitygroup.com