|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Attract Your Dream Customer
Have you clearly defined your target audience? These are the prime buyers of your products or services. It is the people or organizations you are pursuing actively as customers. You don't need every customer in the world! You need the ones who are a good match for YOU. The more specific you are, the more effective your marketing campaign will be.
But, let's take this concept one step further. You can develop specific strategies that will attract your DREAM customers. These are the people who are best suited to purchase your product or service.
A dream customer is someone who:
? You want to work with and enjoy. For example, if you're wild about horses, why not specialize in the riding industry?
? Needs and values the product or services you provide.
? Is willing and able to pay what you need to charge.
? Views you as an important resource - an expert.
? Has problems and goals you care about.
? Is loyal to your business and not easily swayed by competitors.
? Is delighted to do business with you!
I can hear you asking: "Is it really possible to attract dream customers?" The answer is a resounding YES! The key is to absolutely know what sets you apart and to make a DIFFERENCE for your customers. In all of your marketing materials, be professional, creative, and consistent. And, always focus on the exciting benefits you offer to your customers. Don't fall into the trap of using boring feature-focused marketing phrases.
Here are some examples of boring, feature-focused marketing:
? We provide excellent customer service.
? Our firm has been around for 25 years.
? We're a full-service company.
? The XYZ product is the best of its kind.
Why is this boring marketing? Because there is nothing unique or remarkable about these statements. They focus on features, not benefits. And, they are the exact same messages your competitor is using. Yes, these sentences may be true. However, they do nothing to set your business apart. These phrases are not going to magnetize your dream customer.
Instead, you have to THINK like your customers. Meet their specific needs and solve their unique problems. In your marketing materials, tell them about the unique benefits your company provides. Make sure your business is memorable. If your customers can't remember you, they can't tell others about your services or products.
Examples of benefit-based statements to attract your DREAM customers:
? Sales Trainer: "We will take the fear out of selling."
? Cosmetic Dentist: "A smile makeover can make you look years younger."
? Mortgage Company: "We'll find the right loan for you at the best price."
These statements work because they are focused on what a customer will get. They solve a problem. And, they show an understanding of people's challenges and plans for the future. If you want to be a magnet, ask your current customers what they like about you. Also, ask them what you can do better. Feedback is a great way to build your dream customer base.
Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. So, be proactive in your marketing. What do your current marketing materials say about your company? Are they creative? Do they look professional? Is your branding consistent and based on a theme? If you answer "no" to any of these questions, your marketing may not be working to effectively pull in your dream customers.
ACTION ITEM: Write down the characteristics of your DREAM customer and then write down the unique ways your business can meet their needs. This week, take one step toward making your company a customer magnet.
Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven, is the owner of Kinesis. Kinesis specializes in marketing, graphic and website design, and business writing. Visit http://www.kinesisinc.com/resources/article s.html for more articles and free marketing wisdom. You can visit her marketing blog, Kinetic Ideas at: http://www.wendy.kinesisinc.com
Want to harness the power of kinetic marketing? Sign up for Kinesis Quickies, a free bi-monthly marketing e-newsletter: http://www.news.kinesisinc.com
Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!
Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!
Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!
Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!
Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!
Reuters
Chicago Tribune, United States - 2 hours ago
Those marketing dollars have an aim to push Audi US sales to 200000 vehicles by 2018. Schwarzenbauer said the company has a goal to sell 1.5 million Audis ...
Audi plans record US marketing spending Reuters
Audi plans to boost US marketing budget Automotive News
Audi says it will increase US marketing efforts Fox 28
DetNews.comall 15 news articles
Bizjournals.com, NC - 5 hours ago
Implications International, which specializes in interactive marketing, brand design, and Web development, has offices in Peoria, Ill., Mumbai, India, ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - 4 hours ago
Effective April 1, Imperial Hotel will start reservations service, sales, marketing and public relations activities within Japan for Halekulani and Waikiki ...
MSNBC - 17 hours ago
Proton will start by marketing a variety of enhanced water products that provide health benefits for people and the planet as well as the commercial product ...
Proton Laboratories opens Southern California office Bizjournals.com
all 9 news articles
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 1 hour ago
... different companies around the US The Utah Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services recognizes excellence in marketing communications ...
Boston Globe
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jan 8, 2009
United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. will cut its marketing budget by more than 25 percent for 2009, the company recently disclosed on its blog. ...
FedEx cuts marketing spend by more than 25 percent Reuters
FedEx cuts marketing budget DM News
FedEx to reduce marketing budgets by 25% Brand Republic
all 45 news articles
FMQB, NJ - 8 hours ago
Katz Media Group has launched a new, national marketing unit that will create custom solutions for advertisers and their agencies with the goal of ...
Katz Launches National Marketing Unit, Trims Staff Media Buyer Planner
Katz Media Group forms marketing unit BtoB Magazine
Katz creates unit to handle ads for new radio platforms SmartBrief
all 6 news articles
Examiner.com
Examiner.com - 11 hours ago
by William Sokolic, Jersey Shore Examiner The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International will recognize the Cape May County Department of ...
Adrants
Adrants, MA - 7 hours ago
Another marketing babblespeak acronym. Yes. Are you ready? OK. Viral Bridge Marketing. Yup, VBM, people. What's it all about? We're not really sure but it's ...
Daily News Transcript, MA - 4 hours ago
By Candace Leary / columnist As anyone conversant in the methods of marketing a product knows, it’s very important to understand to whom you are addressing ...
Dont Advertise Your Business - Market It!
Too many business owners believe that marketing their business means just paying for a few ads. What few understand is that Advertising is not the same as... Read More
6 Article Marketing Smarts: How To Get More Reprints And Exposure
Article marketing is the latest buzzword for marketers looking to promote their sites and products online. But how do you measure the success of your... Read More
Free Marketing Tips
Dumb Excuse #1"I'm not sure I want to invest any money in my internet business right now."Yes, it's sad to say but I hear this one from... Read More
Costly Web Copy Pitfalls
One secret to a site that sells: Look at your site from your customer's perspective. Another secret: Watch out for these common web copy pitfalls.Welcome to?nothingLook at... Read More
Everybody Loves Raymond....You Should Too!
Popular TV Series Provides a Powerful Marketing LessonSmall Business owners spend a great deal of mental effort and time trying to dream up the next big marketing... Read More
Basic Brand Building
A brand is the essence of who you are. The more powerful the brand the more memorable you will become. Think about brands that you can identify... Read More
The Art of the Business Card
Use a business card as a note pad for recording important information.I am sometimes asked why I make such use of business cards. My reply is that... Read More
Money Making Real Estate Marketing Ideas
Real estate marketing is a lot simpler than most Realtors make it out to be. Some equate expensive products and services with quality.However, effective real estate marketing... Read More
Looking for Sky In All The Wrong Places
Ever sit with a single puzzle piece of clouds and wonder how you will ever put the entire sky together? Life as an entrepreneur is often just... Read More
Postcards Work
What's the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote just about any business?The answer is postcards sent by direct mail. You can get your message to a... Read More
Positioning For Success
According to military historian David Chandler the campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte consistently rose above the expected. For more than 20 years Napoleon showed genius and skill as... Read More
Simplicity In Marketing
In a world that is spinning out of control; with consumers being bombarded with hundreds of advertising messages per day in a variety of mediums, it is... Read More
Feature Your Benefits
Sales Copy? eventually every small business owner must consider what needs to be included in order to produce a successful advertisement or piece of marketing material.You begin... Read More
Marketing Miracles - Do They Just Happen?
A simple answer to that is: Yes, Marketing Miracles happen! But, these marketing miracles do not just happen. The process is not instant. It is sequential. It... Read More
Promote your Business and Products through Submitting Articles to Top Web Sites
Articles submitted to online publishers bring your site new visitors and increase your ezine subscribers. You can also get these benefits by submitting your articles to top... Read More
How to Put Law & Order into Marketing Your Legal Practice
First in a series of three articlesRegardless of your law firm's focus ? criminal, civil, corporate, family, business, etc. ? the greatest challenge most small to mid-size... Read More
Three Ways to Put Fresh Spins on Old Marketing Concepts
Are you struggling to find a new twist for old advertising or marketing campaigns? If you're a small business owner or a... Read More
20 Tricks to Help Get That Envelope Opened
When your envelopes aren't opened, you can't make money! Beforeyou can get an order, the recipient of your mailing package mustfirst open the envelope. Unfortunately, many recipients... Read More
Why Market Research Will Help Your Business
Do Crucial Market Research For Free, On Your OwnIs market research only for big corporations with deep pockets? No-actually, any business can put simple market research into... Read More
Non-Profit Success Requires Ongoing Marketing
In a crowded marketplace of ideas, it is important for non-profit organizations to establish a well-defined niche. While most non-profits are not selling products, they are selling... Read More
Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe?s
Many people think that the quality of any graphic design is determined by how aesthetically pleasing it is: Although making the card look good is important, this... Read More
Your Marketing Message - Could You Wring More CASH Out Of It With This Ancient Japanese Discipline?
When it comes to your marketing message, the little things count. Trouble is, you'll never come to respect how much, until you make a commitment to science.Let... Read More
The Marshall Plan -- Or, Customer Aftercare: How To Spend Less & Sell More
My wife likes to shop at the local Safeway. Is it because of the competitive prices? Yes, that's part of it. Is it because of the convenient... Read More
Creating Your Unique Selling Proposition or USP
Creating Your Unique Selling Proposition"Don't tell them what you do. Tell them what you do for them."To capture a larger market share and remain profitable, you absolutely,... Read More
Five Steps to Partnering with Companies to Build Your Client Base
Wouldn't you love a simple formula for easily growing your small business? Here is something that could be just what you are looking for:1. Create an information... Read More
7 Simple Marketing Tips
Here are 7 simple marketing tips to help you boost your sales and profits quickly. All are easy to use and work for any business.Tip 1: You... Read More
Marketing vs Selling - Why Theres A Difference
Marketing is something that we do to let people know what products we have to offer.Selling is something that we do to show people that the products... Read More
Market Research ? How Good is the Data?
"Make money for taking surveys"," Cash for your opinion", "Make easy money at home".Everywhere you look there is a company willing to pay people to participate in... Read More
There Are Benefits... And Then There Are Benefits
Not all benefits are created equal. Knowing which ones to use when can make a big difference in the credibility -- and success -- of your marketing... Read More
Clever Headlines Usually Flop! Are You Being Too Clever For Your Own Good?
Copywriters that try to be clever, humorous, abstract, or use double entendre with their headlines and ads will normally find that they flop and are thus a... Read More
Networking, iNetworking, What Is The First Rule?
Networking on the Internet is the same as networking in person, or is it? Let's take a conversational tour together on this topic.At an in-person networking event... Read More
How To Sell To Howard Stern... Oprah Winfrey... And Paul McCartney!
Do you know what Howard Stern... Oprah Winfrey... and Paul McCartney all have in common?Well, the simple truth is... they're all... "Baby Boomers"!The "Baby Boomer" generation accounts... Read More
Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business
Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny marketing budget? Opportunities are plentiful for low or no cost marketing. Here are a few that won't... Read More
The Newest Marketing Course
Certainly the newest earth quaking event in Internet Marketing insider circles is the release of John Reese's New, Traffic Secrets marketing course. I say certainly because I... Read More
Stay in Touch with Leads and Get More Closes
How many leads have come into your business since the beginning of time that never closed? That is a salient question. Who knows how many, but I... Read More
Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit
You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the chocolate biscuits during late night TV shows. Or slouching we when we sit. Or biting our fingernails.... Read More
Global Market in the Cyber world?Go and Get It !
With the Internet opening up the doorway to the global market, everybody is up and running to reap the maximum benefit of this widely used medium. Not... Read More
The Most Important Marketing Principles of All Time
As you have probably experienced there is a lot of hype in the business and marketing world. New concepts, revolutionary methods and the like land in our... Read More
Guide to a Profitable Marketing Mix
You may have heard the term Marketing Mix used in connection with marketing planning.Marketing Mix means the combination of promotions, products, places (distribution channels), and prices you... Read More
Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth
Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant minds and withstood the test of time.Today, however, most of us forget to apply them consistently. As... Read More
Postcard Direct Mail Marketing: 15 Ways To Grab Attention
If you use direct mail postcards to generate leads or sell a product or service, you need to create postcards that grab your prospect's attention. The place... Read More
10 Essential Criteria For Choosing Your Target Market
A specific group of people you will focus on selling your services to is your target market. This is not to be confused with the problem you... Read More
Client or Customer? There Really Is A Difference
Some people use the words "client" and "customer" interchangeably or generically. I'd like you to think a little about these important words because there is a significant... Read More
How to Pick a Winning Business Name
What's in a name?Think of your business name as an external mask for your business. If it's something your target audience like, they would consider checking it,... Read More
A Forgotten Marketing Tool ? The Postcard
The postcard can be a very powerful marketing tool. Many of our customers and/or students use them in their business. The key is to set up the... Read More
The Truth About The Fallacy Of 7
Ted Nicholas is a marketer with a proven track record. He has started, operated and sold 21 profitable businesses, and is responsible for the direct or indirect... Read More
Build A Successful Business By Staying Connected
Over the course of your business life you'll come in contact with a number of other business people. They could be lawyers, business services, suppliers, customers, etc.... Read More
When Business Cards Arent Enough: Unusual, Unexpected, and Uncommon Networking Tips
There comes a time in every small businessperson's life when common networking practices like handing out business cards, attending various meetings and schmoozing with potential clients only... Read More
Simple Marketing Strategies Versus an SEO Line of Attack!
Each and every day those of us on the Internet are bombarded with information about Search Engine Optimization and all that goes along with it. For the... Read More
Improving Lead Generating and Conversation Rates: Think Like a Farmer
John's a freelance photographer in Ohio who called to tell me of his frustration with the advertising and promotional campaigns he has tried in the last couple... Read More
The Money Making Secret of The Toll Booth Position
I'm a marketing consultant and at one of my client-companies, acompany that, in less than 10 years, has gone from a $10 millionto a $100 million dollar... Read More
Trade Show Promotional Products ? Boosting Booth Traffic
I was about seven or eight years old when I learned the value of promotional items at trade shows. I just didn't know it yet. I was... Read More