The 5 Keys to Great Marketing
by Larry J Anderson
A great friend of mine taught me years ago that when I'm faced with a challenge, I should put my thoughts into groups of five. It makes it easier to remember complex ideas and it forces me to think it through until I fully understand the issue.
I was thinking about marketing the other day (like I do most days... I'm such a geek) and it dawned upon me that most of the small business owners I talk with don't really understand what marketing is. So I thought about it and realized I didn't have a specific definition of my own.
So I put my thinking cap on and came up with this:
Marketing is: "how you connect with your market".
Wow nice and simple, not really complicated, but a little vague as well. So again because I like fives so much, I decided to come up with the five keys to great marketing:
1. Relevant
a. Is it of interest to your customer?
b. Does it affect their life?
c. Is there a need for this?
2. Consistent
a. Can someone recognize your business?
b. Are you there when your customers are ready to buy?
c. Are you presenting the image you want?
d. Can you repeat your successes?
3. Clear
a. Is your message simple and easy to understand?
b. Is it easy to buy from you?
4. Honest
a. Keep your word
b. Deliver on your promise
c. Listen, learn and act
5. Actionable
a. Do you give your customers a reason to act?
b. Have you created urgency?
c. Can you deliver on what you've promised?
No matter what strategy, tactic or idea you're trying to implement, you need to make sure these five elements have been thoroughly thought through and that you understand how they will help you connect with your customers.
Great marketing is a combination of common sense, creativity and the ability to listen. Practice these everyday and your customers will reward you.