Marketing To Needs Or Wants

Feb 182012

Marketing To Needs and Knowing What Your Niche Needs

Let’s face it clever marketers know how to blur the otherwise clear understanding between what people need and what they want but marketing to needs builds business credibility and longevity.

Integrity isn’t a strong suit in the corporate world but thanks to the internet and immediate recognition those underhanded marketing shenanigans that used to fool the masses are now being exposed by millions of watch dog consumers.

Products and services without actual value have an ever shrinking market whereas products that offer true value do so because they meet real world needs.

Better and Better

The competition between quality products will usually produce improvements that go well beyond the actual need. Providing the price doesn’t become inflated with the additional enhancements those bells and whistles can be an added bonus to the campaign.

In terms of consumer electronics it’s easy to lose customers in the details. People are more apt to pull back from a decision because of information overload.

If you shop online you may have noticed that details, features or specifications are usually tucked behind a radio button the consumer needs to push. Only the immediate answer to a specific need is presented up front.

3 Things To Focus On

1.   Identify the need
2.   Answer the need
3.   Make the connection on an emotional level

Buying is basically an action driven by emotion. From the food at the supermarket to goods and services we attach emotions to every dime we spend.

Remorse is an emotion marketers seek to avoid and bringing home something that you don’t really need is the perfect recipe for buyer’s remorse.

Parents see this time and again in the mountain of toys their kids wanted but never used. Perhaps part of the guilt we feel over items we purchased but didn’t really need is carried over from our childhood experience.

It Slices and Dices

The multiple use item, or the item that meets multiple needs has a clear marketing advantage over something that meets a single need and a couple of wants.

Once again clever marketers know how to paint that second, third and fourth want as a need. The only person who can say whether or not it is a true need is the individual doing the shopping.

Marketing to needs within any niche is going to cover some grey area between end consumers. If you can honestly answer why a certain feature meets a need then your product and company integrity will remain intact.

Thanks in advance for sharing and if you have any questions about marketing to needs we’d love to help.

Using Direct Response Marketing For Network Marketing

direct marketing, direct response marketing, internet marketing, Leadership, Marketing, Network Marketing, online business world 1 Response »

Oct 102011

Direct Response Marketing and The Marketing Funnel

Every network marketer is continually looking to build networks within networks and direct response marketing is process for building them. This principle is logically sound because people are more productive working with people who share similar passions.

Whether those efforts are based on a new product release or a completely new business venture they’re reflected in a marketing funnel of any size and at any level.

At the top of our marketing funnel we’re looking for people who are interested in the online business world. That’s a broad niche but a niche nonetheless because everyone we find on the internet isn’t interested in doing business there.

Direct Response Marketing and Niche Marketing

Permission based marketing is accomplished when people choose to be courted as a lead or prospect. Direct response marketing begins before an individual first decides to be courted and continues until they sever the relationship.

The broadest niche is usually filled from responses to online content or ads at which point they become leads. Network marketing depends upon a steady flow of these leads even though many of them never buy or join your business.

The next response either through phone or email will determine if a lead becomes part of a smaller network or not. This process is the same if your lead list is 100 or 10,000 and continues as long as you have something new to offer (which in well developed funnels can be endless).

New Offers – Direct Response Marketing to your Existing Network

In the same way you would build a smaller network from a larger network, you would present new offers to appropriate networks. Sales and business building should always follow the response back to an offer and be directed to just those who welcome that courtship.

A gentleman used to ask permission from a lady’s parents and then the lady herself prior to courting her. Even if he’s the prince protocol must be maintained.

The quickest way to dissolve a network is to pitch them endlessly about every little thing you or some affiliate has available. Always asking permission at every stage of the marketing funnel engages the decision making process of your prospects; true leaders are also decision makers.

Teaching and Training – Direct Response Marketing and Leadership

Here’s another principle related to network marketing. Every network marketer leads a team of leaders.

Leadership is always a high priority for teaching and training. Everyone in the network knows how they arrived there and what is required of them provided they were engaged in the direct response marketing process.

Knowing why the process is important also helps preserve the integrity of the network. Learning how direct response marking works is far easier when you were a willing participant in that process, and easier to teach others as well.

Comments and questions are always encouraged. Thanks in advance for sharing.

Advertising Online For Local Traditional Businesses

advertising online, home business, internet marketing, internet presence, local business, Marketing, online business world, SEO, social media, social media marketing 1 Response »

Aug 142011

What Local Business Owners Discover When Advertising Online

Old school advertising methods still work for some but increasingly we find advertising online has a much greater impact for local business owners. I’m always impressed when a local contractor not only recognizes the differences in ROI between print and online advertising, but also takes the time to track results.

I spend a lot of time with network marketers or web based business owners who basically drive the demand for improvements to tracking online results. From a marketing perspective it really doesn’t matter where you invest your advertising dollar as long as you know exactly how well your ad campaigns are performing.

The potential to drill down to a well defined niche target and not waste money speaking to an audience you can’t possibly serve is why internet marketing beats print or public media advertising for cost effectiveness.

Advertising Online with Social Media

I don’t expect seasoned plumbers or electricians to have the same working knowledge of social media advertising. As long as they’ve experienced the potential of an ‘Adwords’ campaign they’re essentially predisposed to jumping into the deep end.

For most small business owners who service a local clientele the social media campaign can be managed in just a few hours a week. A family member or administrator can spend about 15 to 20 minutes a day updating, responding and sharing.

While hiring a social media manager may not be obtainable for all small businesses, the skills can be mastered by anyone. Most people already know how spread news online and the menus for placing ads in social media are as friendly as the platform itself.

SEO vs. The Chamber of Commerce – or – Advertising Online vs. Print Ads

Depending upon the business you’re looking to attract, joining your local chamber may be a good idea.

Businesses typically trust chamber members but these days the local chamber can be full of competition. Everyone has the opportunity to place their ads in the chamber’s directory but anyone who wants more information is going to find it online.

SEO is important for your online business world as it relates to being found according to the relevance of your site or other online content. Advertising online through SEO is usually considered free, although there is work involved. For local businesses most of that SEO effort is focused on location.

Advertising Online as a Fully Branded Entity

Recognition and reputation go hand in hand. Comments, recommendations and reviews drive interest.

What people are saying about you on the street defines your brand in the real world. What they say about you online defines your brand in the online business world.

Advertising online isn’t just about making a connection between the person who clicks your ad and your local business. It’s also about sharing your brand with them in a way that allows them to share it with the rest of their online world.

If you’re a local or traditional business owner with results or insight you’d like to share about advertising online we welcome your input. For practical help with every aspect of doing business online please visit ‘Free Online Home Business Training’ to discover how to apply the techniques used by home business owners for your traditional business.

The Art of Technical Writing

entrepreneur, internet marketing, Leadership, Marketing, Teaching 2 Responses »

Oct 012010

Another Satisfied Customer…

I was involved in technical writing, technical training, technical experimenting and technical support long before I ever got into internet marketing.

Techie isn’t just a description for me it’s a type of personality disorder… means I never stop.

Treating technical writing as an art form is the privilege of master marketers because they always place the relationship with prospective customers ahead of selling. Even if the entire set of directions is contained in three easy steps you can add a few pictures or graphics and make non-technical consumers more comfortable.

HUH?

I sympathize with anyone who’s ever had trouble assembling or configuring a product they’ve purchased because of the technical writing in the owners manual. As a former tech support specialist I’ve spent years interpreting tech-speak into English or just re-writing the material so that people understood the directions.

It’s not polite to bash anyone. The circumstances surrounding each and every technical writing task are unique but the burden shouldn’t be on the consumer.

Some manuals are like following a top end GPS system complete with pictures of the intersections and surrounding buildings. Other manuals read like secret code that only makes sense online after you’ve found the cipher key that cracks the code.

Step By Step

Not only is a step by step approach to technical writing helpful to everyone but a major bonus feature for marketing professionals.

Some manufacturers actually include the steps on the outside of the packaging. Who doesn’t want that? You’ve already read the directions and understood them.

However, just because you’re providing steps doesn’t mean that whoever gets to follow them will arrive at the same conclusion.

Clarity

I have 4 girls and not one of them hears the same set of directions or follows them the same way. This process:
•   Reading
•   Comprehending
•   Applying
isn’t the same because different people process information based on personality, education and experience.

When you have to design a guide or manual it must be from the perspective of the person who has to process that information.

The Artistic Approach

Unless a variety of conversations have taken place between various people who’ve all tried to use your instructions beforehand, you can expect a few conversations after you’ve published your tech manual.

On the surface it looks more practical than artistic because including feedback before finalizing the book just makes good sense.

What makes for artistic writing of otherwise boring material is how well the information takes away any potential for confusion. Good art takes time to refine; great art takes even more time.

Why It Matters

Most people won’t make a conscious note of the frustrations caused by the operating manual on their new hardware but the brand suffers.

That manual can keep tech support response time short or as in my experience busy re-writing the manual via emails so that customers can get on with their lives.

Any information that describes your product or service reflects on your brand. Since you don’t want your brand to be ambiguous, you don’t want any copy surrounding it to be confusing or frustrating; clear concise copy makes for satisfied customers.

Are you frustrated by the process of creating an online business or taking your business online because the technical writing you’ve found makes it sound confusing and difficult? You don’t have to deal with that frustration any longer. Grab a copy of, “How To Create Your Online Business World In 6 Days” the guide written for people who want the technological advantage the internet offers without the technical confusion.

Finding Your MLM Market

entrepreneur, home business, internet marketing, Leadership, Marketing, MLM, Network Marketing 1 Response »

Aug 092010

Your MLM market is distinct and exclusive but they live among thousands of people who are definitely not who you’re looking for.

Knowing where to find them is a matter of knowing what they look like and what they’re looking for. Attracting your market to you is the easiest way of finding them.

List Building

When you realize that building a database or a list of people is the source for your future in the MLM business you’ve chosen, you’ll want to find ways to build that list.

The internet is undoubtedly the biggest body of water to fish in when it comes to adding names to your lead list. Not all leads have the same value and a big list doesn’t necessarily mean huge profits.

Different lures attract different fish and knowing who you want to reach affects what you’ll use to reach them.

Prescreening

Employers have been using prescreening techniques for years. They realize that by only conducting interviews with qualified applicants they save time and money.

Your MLM business depends upon converting leads into business leaders. It takes less time and resources when you’re dealing only with applicants who have already demonstrated leadership capabilities.

This doesn’t mean that you only have to choose people who have a proven history in leadership, but every person in your training program that isn’t already qualified will require more of your time and expense.

How To Find Them

People with specific interests in the products your MLM offers might make good customers but people interested in how they can leverage your MLM for significant profit or lifestyle enhancement will make great business leaders.

First you want to position yourself ahead of your MLM company or any other affiliate company you want to promote. Fish are attracted to lures but people are attracted to people.

Your demonstration of the exact qualities you’re looking for is the key. When you provide valuable information to people they always want more.

They Want More

Your MLM market is swimming in schools within the ocean of people with one distinct characteristic; they want more.

The people in your market aren’t satisfied with the status quo of working all week for a boss to pay the bills and feed their family.

The good news is that they’re always looking and it is much easier to attract the attention of someone who has their eyes and mind open.

I’d love to hear what you think of this article… share it with the people you connect with so that they can grow online… and as always READ IT, FEED IT & TWEET IT!

Increase Conversions With Duplicate Ad Copy

internet marketing, Marketing 6 Responses »

Jun 292010

Click It Again

“Increase conversions by cutting and pasting my ad copy?”

I know it sounds simple. Let me explain.

When I first heard about this technique I knew it would work because it held to all the rules about congruency. You see those rules were written for the sake of the searcher and searchers hate tangents.

If someone hits one of your ads and clicks they’ve confirmed they like your ad copy. Unless you just had a great picture on your banner ad and they clicked it to see more.

Won’t the same copy lead a greater percentage to click again, only this time after the opt in?

Congruency Matters

One thing I didn’t mention in the video (oh yeah there’s a video) is that if you frame the landing page around the ad copy it’ll be even easier to stay on target.

So split testing and tracking will tell you a lot but if all you know is that the ratio isn’t satisfactory… compare the landing page to the ad copy again.

If you like this concept please tell me and share it with your friends. Read It, Feed It and Tweet It…

Why Use Multiple Home Business Blogs?

entrepreneur, home business, home business blogs, Marketing 2 Responses »

May 212010

The Niche Within The Niche

Learning to use home business blogs has become an art form among entrepreneurs.

By design an online business blog has a narrow scope to target a specific interest or subculture.

The tools are just mesmerizing. You can spend hours on end reading about the latest Word Press plugins and what they can do.

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

2. Social Media Integration

3. Surveys, polls and quizzes

4. Newsletters – Podcasts – RSS Feeds

5. Discussion groups, forums, training

A Wet and Wild Metaphor

Let’s say you like to fish.

You want to find the best fishing lure and where it is most effective. While searching online you find an internet business blog; and another.

After spending hours reading about what you didn’t want to know, it becomes obvious. You can’t find what you’re looking for.

Guess what? You just found another niche.

User Orientation

Everything about the internet including the business blog is user oriented. It starts because someone is looking for something specific and doesn’t want to sift through information overload.

We can narrow it down like this:

• Fishing lures

• Fishing locations

• North eastern Pennsylvania

• What works best for what type of fish

If we already own a generic fishing lure blog we’re hitting a big target. If we get into locations we can either go broad or get specific.

Breaking it down to small geographical areas where we name the fish and the lures they love… bingo!

I’m using fishing lures purely as an example, but if it helps you or your business specifically, great. When you’ve finished creating:

…bestluresforrivertroutinnepa.org, send me an email so I can check it out.

Why It Matters

The most important aspect of the best business blogs is specificity. Giving the user exactly what they’re looking for and nothing else.

Most business owners and especially online home business owners have the potential to serve a variety of niche groups. How they choose to serve them is important.

The reason why most hosting companies will allow unlimited domains on a single account is because of popular demand.

Your business is better served by having a business marketing blog specifically tied to each unique interest. Sure it’s a lot more work but keep in mind online home business is about making it easier for people to find you.

If you find this post helpful please pass it along and tell us in the comment section.

READ IT – FEED IT & TWEET IT!

Is Internet Marketing Like Online Gold?

internet marketing, Marketing, The Power Of The Internet 4 Responses »

Apr 242010

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

On my way up the mountain to my home, the crest of this rainbow slowly became visible until the entire arc touching ground at both ends made me wonder, ‘Will I find a pot of internet marketing at the end?’

To many people in my industry that’s what this is like. You come to expect something resembling magical riches to emerge while you make the journey into the world of internet marketing.

In reality following the colorful trail of internet marketing is different because the riches are actually obtainable.

Gold Online or Offline Isn’t Enough

If you’ve got enough gold the opportunities and possibilities in life increasingly expose themselves. The process of using a business system tends to deliver a greater return than searching for gold at the end of a rainbow.

Leveraging the internet with online automation or constructing to essentially work forever, slowly increases the flow of income, which then increases the amount of time we have to pursue other interests.

Calculating The Cost of The Moment

If I’m working like a dog in my home business and miss the precious moments that make life spectacular, the pot of gold I find online won’t be enough to repay the expense of that lost experience.

Think long and hard about keeping the balance between what is valuable and what is irreplaceable. There will always be gold online but that shouldn’t be the dream.

Enjoying the beauty of a rainbow is more rewarding than chasing that elusive pot of gold. Live life in the journey, not the destination.

5 Web 2.0 Marketing Strategies

entrepreneur, Internet Business Model, Marketing, Network Marketing 13 Responses »

Apr 192010

Why Do They All Function Differently?

Using web 2.0 marketing strategies to promote revenue producing websites wouldn’t be that hard if it weren’t for the fact that every one of these web 2.0 sites uses a unique interface.

As an entrepreneur I’m conditioned to seek out simplification wherever possible but in web design the key is originality.

Take notes when you sign up and use a spreadsheet to keep it all straight.

Select 5 different web 2.0 properties where you can post unique content, pictures and ideally video.
Prepare the content for these 5 sites as well as your web site to be relevant to one another.
Use keywords and phrases to link from these sites to your own site. (inbound links)
Use keywords and phrases to link from web 2.0 site #1 to #2, #2 to #3, #3 to#4 and #4 to #5.
Ensure you never close this loop by linking from site #5 back to #1.

Provided that the content is prepared this shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes twice a week. I recommend keeping the details in a spreadsheet as it will get complicated the longer you maintain these sites.

Master Marketing Event Live

direct marketing, entrepreneur, Leadership, Marketing 1 Response »

Apr 032010

Live and in Person

The Master Marketing Event this week was a tremendous success. Visionary entrepreneurs from around the globe gathered to feast on the knowledge and experience of the best of the best.

I can’t possibly describe the impact this experience has had upon me. The best internet marketers from Carbon Copy Pro got together in the breathtaking setting in Boca Raton, FL to hold an event full of excitement and surprises.

This price video will give a little taste of what it’s like to spend time in an impressive environment with the top leadership in our community while they deliver first hand expert knowledge of direct marketing techniques and industry insight.

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David Beairsto