Effective marketing is an important part of any business. Even if you’re company provides the best product or service, you still need some level of marketing to inform potential buyers. I was fortunate enough to hear Kelly McDonald, of McDonald Marketing, speak on marketing in today’s changing environment. A published author and internationally recognized expert, I was excited to understand modern day marketing trends and learn tips for my own company.
Eight things to consider while marketing your business:
1. Identify what people want, and then give it to them
- Listen, listen, listen
- An example is the success of Target’s strategy compared to KMart’s strategy
2. Tap into values
- Support locally owned business, source locally
- Publish testimonials and reviews online
- Go green
- Be the good guys, doing good is the new cool
3. Foster a culture of empathy
- Hire the right person, not the resume
- Many jobs are teachable jobs
- “Awesomeness” follows the person
- Awesome people are not defensive when things go wrong
4. Recognize different needs for different markets
- Burger King serves breakfast on bagels in New York City and on biscuits in Birmingham, Alabama
5. Use consumer insights
- Sell your cause
- Women typically value expansive choices
- While men prefer the “magic number” of three choices
6. Pay attention to trends, not fads
- Mass is out, customization is in
- McDonalds has kiosks to customize your order
- Coke started putting personal names on bottles
- Social is everything
7. Show people as they really are
- Show real people in ads, not photo stock models
- People respond to those they can relate to
8. Helping Beats Selling
- We don’t need anymore “information”. We need “advice.”
- Provide solutions and help them
Overall, I was reminded that most people already know what they want. They are just looking for the right company to fill those needs. By being honest, transparent, and easily accessible, you can gain the trust of your audience.
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