I want to let you know about my marketing beliefs. Share with you some of the basics, some principles that I know work, so that we can move forward together.
ABC – Always Be Closing – an old sales axiom – and one that I have heard often. I agree to a certain extent – but I like to change it to ABS – Always Be Selling. In every facet of your business you need to be aware that you are selling. That is crucial. And with that goes the idea that everyone in your organization is a salesperson for your company – at some level.
Relationships are key! People buy from who they know and trust. You must work hard to be the person they know, and you have to give them reasons to trust you.
Timing is everything. People will not buy from you all the time. But at the right time, they will buy anything from you. They have to be in the ‘buying time zone’.
It takes more than one offer to make a sale. By that I mean you have to stay in touch, repeat the offer, whether that means multiple ads, mailings, flyers, emails, or plain old asking for the sale directly.
Hard work is the most important factor in any marketing campaign. It is not usually the most creative, nor the most glitzy or spectacular marketing, not even the best copywriting (althought copy is extremely important) that in the long run gives the best results. What does give results is consistent long term action. Get your message out there, again, and again, and again. — And then again.
Testing is vital. This is the most under utilized tool that any marketer has, and one that can have the greatest impact in any marketing campaign. And it is not hard, it just takes a little know-how and some diligence – but the pay-off is well worth it.
Many of these ideas you have heard before. In the coming days I will give you strategies that will incorporate many of these principles. We will also take time to delve deeper into these principles to learn why they work, and how you can make them work better for your business.
