MARKETING Marketing love MARKETING What does it really

MARKETING Marketing love

MARKETING What does it really mean? My philosophy on marketing What is marketing? Creating connection. A conversation. Marketing is honest, truthful, authentic and genuine. Marketing is truly about building a relationship with your customers, your community, and your tribe. A mutually beneficial and rewarding relationship that thrives on two-way communication. It is never about force or manipulation. It is about striving to help your customers feel / have / do / get / see / hear / achieve what they want to. When you talk to your customers you need to have a genuine interest in them, not only driven by making money (although of course this is why we are in business and that’s good too), but by really wanting to help them. By having something that you know is a valuable addition to their life. +++

MARKETING What does it really mean? Start with the heart Start with a heart-centred approach when it comes to your marketing strategy. But don't lose sight of that word either – strategy. Strategy is NOT a dirty word. I am really passionate about creating a passion fuelled & heart centred business but I fully believe you can be strategic at the same time. Yes, strategy varies across all forms of business. And at times it can seem like it’s not worth the effort - but it is. If being strategic means being thoughtful, smart, prepared, interested, aware, AND having clarity of purpose and vision then this is absolutely the best combination for success in your business. Don't let the word scare you - even if your strategic planning consists of handwritten circles mapped out on a piece of paper it's still better than nothing at all. You don't have to produce some big old fancy powerpoint or huge word doc - whatever works for you and your business and for the people you have to communicate your vision to. So, open your heart to some strategy today. After all that's what this little plan is all about – no matter how long and complex, or short and sweet your marketing strategy is – it’s all about giving you the clarity you need to build momentum in your business. +++

MARKETING What does it really mean? But it’s not only about your heart It’s about the heart of your ideal customer, about their dreams, their desires, their needs, their wants. This is just as important for you when you are building your business. This is your compass that will point you in the right direction if you start to lose your way. So many brands and business - entrepreneurs, small business, and corporates – lose sight of this. Once you lose sight or your customer you might as well walk away because sooner or later things will crumble. To create your plan you must know who your ideal customer is – you need to know everything about them you possibly can. Their demographics (the facts about them – Age, gender, income, etc. ) as well as their psychographics (their values, attitudes, interests, opinions and more). You need to research this and understand this before going ahead and creating the Customer Story that we seem to jump to so quickly these days. The more you know about them the easier it will be to communicate with them and to create products and services that you know will be just what they actually need. You need to have empathy for your customers because this is such a critical thing in business. You’ve got to get your people. You don’t have to have been them, or have been in the same place they are, you just have to be able to tap into their feelings – empathy. Critical in business. One of the core pillars of good marketing. And you have to be damn sure you’re not just assuming everyone in the world is like you because that’s a pretty big mistake to make. Respect the differences, embrace them, and understand them. +++

MARKETING What does it really mean? Your Brand So much more than your logo. Your brand is the personality of your business. Your brand can be represented in all aspects of your business that invoke any of the senses or a whole raft of feelings. It is critical to define your brand articulate it clearly to all key stakeholders ensuring everyone involved is a brand advocate and a brand guardian. Without a clear vision your stakeholders can send mixed and confusing messages to your ideal customer about what your brand is and what you stand for. This is not good – it dilutes your message and your communications; you can make sure this doesn’t happen by defining your brand properly. If a customer doesn’t understand what you are, what you believe in, what you represent, it’s hard for them to develop an affinity with you or a meaningful relationship. We want them to be saying is “I totally get this brand, I believe them, I believe what they believe in, and I trust them. They are my kind of brand. They are a brand I want representing me. ” +++

MARKETING What does it really mean? Hot tip from an experienced marketer Do you know what I don’t do as a marketer? I never take advantage of my customers. Never think they don’t deserve better. Never try to give them less than what they deserve. Never think they aren’t smart enough to find a better alternative if I am not giving them the best I possibly can. Never treat them like fools or disrespect them. It is so important to keep on striving when it comes to your customers, always innovating, making things easier, simpler, stronger, softer – whatever it is make it better, always. Show them the love. Just like any good relationship you can’t sit back and think they stop deserving the absolute best you can give them. Marketers know this. We understand that it takes a lot of work to keep everyone happy in this dance. You have to keep pushing the envelope and finding the next little piece of awesome to give your customers; this journey is so exciting and I love being a part of it with every brand or business I work with. +++

MARKETING What does it really mean? Marketing love I want you to become a marketer. Embrace it. Own it. Love it! I love marketing. Seriously! When you are marketer – as you have to be when you are building a business - you are a smart thinker, you are strategic, and thoughtful. Of all the aspects of a business, marketing is the most all-encompassing piece of the puzzle. Every single area of the business is on your radar when you are a marketer. You have to think about anything and everything that your customer will experience. You rarely work in isolation. As an entrepreneur you totally understand that marketing draws on every aspect of your business. Now I’m not saying you have to do it all on your own when it comes to marketing – of course not. But I do believe you need to learn and understand as much as you can about this so that you can build your best possible business. A marketing mind is a customer centric mind. This is where success is found in any business – where the customer is at the centre of your strategic intent. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marketing your business. I have so much more I could teach and share with you that would take weeks and months – not one day. BUT I hope this is a really great start for some of the key aspects you need to include in your plan for a bigger, better year in 2016. +++