Top 5 methods to build your marketing legacy
September 17, 2010Write a successful marketing plan
November 29, 2010
From print ads to Twitter tweets and Facebook faceoffs – Diversity in Marketing is Queen!
In this day and time, in our businesses we are all looking for “the one thing”. That one tool or product that will get our marketing done, bring us prospects, make the sale, clean our house, make us happy….I could go on. The problem with that concept is that in a diverse business market, there is MORE than just ONE way. There are MANY. Many ways to get leads, to market your product, to brand your business, to be happy, to be entertained…get the idea?
I want to talk to you about diversity in your marketing. Just like there are many types of customers out there, there are also many ways to reach them. The failure to reach your customer might be in the method you are using. Look at your market segment. Are they boomers? Are they just out of college? Where do they live? Country? City? Uptown? Suburbs? Believe it or not, where your prospect lives tells a big story about their lifestyle and their preferences when it comes to how they make their purchases and how they communicate.
In executing a marketing plan, it is important to be as diverse as the market you serve. Do not put all your eggs in one basket! Spread your marketing message out over a number of marketing venues: social networking, email, print, sponsorships, and good old-fashioned call phones to set up a lunch or one-on-one. There is business waiting for you in all types of marketing. Depending upon your target market, you may want to focus on social networking to build relationships, or you may want to use the US Mail to deliver nice business letters offering your services. You have to know your customer.
Understanding your market segment is vital to delivering an effective marketing message that they will see and respond to. Choose the marketing vehicle where your prospective customer is going – where they hang out. If you are selling real estate, over 86% of homebuyers are searching online to buy homes. Can your message be found there?
If you haven’t already, it is time to review and audit your marketing plan for this year and see what has worked for you. Use your findings as a basis to begin planning for 2010 to deliver your marketing message to the people you want to reach (your niche) – and there are many ways to do that:
Basic Marketing Examples:
Pop-by (unannounced visit) Direct Mail/Postcards/Letters Email Blast/Email Drip Phone call One-on-One (appointment) Print Ad in School Program Press Release/Announcement Feature Story Billboard/SignFlyer/Doorhanger Website/Blog Facebook/Twitter Online Social Networking Sponsorship Networking Group Community Volunteer eNewsletter Print Newsletter Out of the box (Kuzies or a wild idea!)
As you can see from the list, there are many ways to reach your customer. Try incorporating at least three items that match your target audience lifestyle to build into your marketing plan then put it into action now. Knowing your customer is one of the most valuable tools you can have – in a diverse business market, diversity in marketing is Queen!
© 2010 Sandy Hibbard – Lyric Marketing & Design, Inc.
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