Top Five Things You Need To Do to Market Yourself Successfully – Today…And Everday!

In today’s challenging business climate, how well you market yourself and your business will make the difference in the level of success you eventually achieve. Prospects and buyers today are smarter and have more access to information tom help them compare your service and product to others. Unless you have a cohesive plan in place, you will be forced into a price war or worse yet not have a chance to even get a “swing at the ball”.
 
I have sat through many seminars where amateur speakers have stood in front of the room and talked solely about the importance of “how good you look” or my favorite, “you only get one chance at a good first impression”. While appearance and first meetings or impressions are important, they are a small part of the “tip of the iceberg”. Following this advice without an overall plan or objective, will lead you (and your business) to the same fate as the Titanic.
 
The Coach’s Zone in our work with our many past and present clients, has identified these top five tips to guarantee your success in marketing yourself.
 
First, know who your ideal or perfect client is. You cannot market unless you have a clear picture of who you are trying to attract; their characteristics; where they are and how to find them. If you proceed without a good clear description of your ideal client, I can guarantee that you will waste a good deal of time and money – two very precious assets in your business

My old boss used to say,” If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always gotten." In other words, you will always get the customers you are willing to accept.
 
It is essential to profile your ideal client’s characteristics. Some of the most desirable attributes should include; they pay their bills on-time, they are pleasant to deal with, they are value driven, they respect your time, they have the ability to grow with you, they are willing to refer other clients to you, and they offer constructive feedback on how you can improve the services you provide. Other attributes could be lifestyle related, i.e. where they live, their spending habits, annual income range, etc. Look at the top 20% of your customers and try to identify common characteristics among that group. Look at the bottom 20% of your customer group and identify their common characteristics so you know what to avoid!
 
Second, know what makes you unique – have a strong USP (Unique Selling Proposition). A lot of marketing experts make a big deal about being unique. They rave on and on about ‘finding out what sets you apart’. They call it a USP, or a Unique Selling Proposition – the one thing that you do and your competitors don’t offer.
 
So is it really is as important as they say? In a word – YES!!!
 
Nothing I write here can emphasize enough how important it is to be different. You need to understand that people have to decide between you and your competition. They have to discern the differences between you and others, before they can choose who to buy from.
 
Now imagine if you could prove to them, beyond doubt, that they would benefit more buy choosing you – that’s what a well craft USP does.
 
So what about your business? Think of your 2 biggest competitors and ask yourself ‘Am I really any different?’ If you’re first answer was ‘yes, we have better service’ or ‘our quality is better’ – that just will not cut it!. Those very same competitors would probably say exactly the same thing if they were asked to compare themselves to you.
 
A USP is something that really makes an impact when you say it. It clearly differentiates you and your business. There is no doubt. There is a short expression that says it best – “Differentiate or Die”.
 
If you don’t have a point of difference, there’s no reason for anyone to buy from you, unless you discount. You end up in a price war, with nothing to fall back on but you ‘crazy’ prices. It sounds like a recipe for going broke. This could be the most pivotal point in your entire business life. Without a USP, your business has no reason to exist – it’s just another drop in an ocean of ‘me-too’ pretenders. You have to put up your hand and say “I’m different and this is why”
 
Third, is to have a tightly constructed story, which stresses the following:

1. Who you are (include the name of your company) – describe both your product and service
2. What you do – a 1 to 3 sentence description of the needs you address
3. How You are different (USP) – one key and several supporting factors of how you are unique and/or different
4. Who do you serve and what do they want – a description of your ideal client and your marketing message
5. What is the benefit to your customers from doing business with you – it is all about the customer and their needs

As you construct this story (which in essence becomes a very simple but powerful marketing plan) keep in mind the following:

• narrow your market focus – describe your ideal customer in the most detailed way; as if you were describing them to a referral source
• position your business – determine what you do best and what your target market wants; craft a core message to differentiate your business
• create educational based marketing materials – teach your core market how to use you and/or your product and services
• never cold call – make sure all of your advertising material is geared to creating prospects; make sure your target market sees value and can find you easily
• earn media attention – create a list of journalists who cover your industry and build relationships with them by becoming a reliable source of information
• expect referrals – build a process that focus’s on referrals and map it; teach customers that referrals are a condition of doing business with you
• live by a calendar – daily and weekly planning; develop a 12 month plan for all marketing and advertising activity
• be goal driven – goals need to drive you in all of your activities. Goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and have a timeframe within which they need to be accomplished

Fourth, while a good first impression is important, what follows it is equally important as is creating a good last impression. Okay so your first impression was not that good but the game is hardly over. You remember that old expression – “It ain’t over ‘till the fat lady sings”. Well the same is true in business. How you conduct yourself in a prospect or client meeting can bring it all back. If you have a plan for your meeting (and not try to wing it) which includes great questions and a clear purpose, you will succeed. Remember, what you ask and how you ask it will help to get you back on track. Keeping the focus 100% on your prospect or customer and their needs will score big every time. The impression you leave them with will make the difference as to whether or not they buy or invite you back for a second meeting. I learned a long time ago, it’s okay to make a mistake. Just learn how to make a great recovery. Last impressions are just as (and very) important!  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
 
Fifth, make sure every buying experience is remarkable and a positive one. Creating a positive buying experience involves more then just delivering your product and service "on time, exactly as promised." At every point of contact with your customers — at every "touch point" — your business must be engineered to create positive associations and expectations of gratification. The buying experience of your customer plays an important role in their perception of the value your business provides. Yes, that’s right – value; customers are still looking for value.
The buying experience of a business includes the look and feel of your business, the location, logo and marketing materials, employee appearance and attitude and the usability and value of your product. By customizing these factors to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, you can deliver an experience that turns one-time shoppers into long-term customers and fans. The flip side is very clear (and can be painful) – if you are not moving your customers or prospects in a positive way, then they will “move to someone else who will!
Sixth (yes I know I said five but this is a bonus) always, always look for ways to be better – your customer expects you to. People and businesses travel in only two developmental directions; they stagnate and die (mentally first) or learn, grow and get better. There is no middle ground or status quo. What you have to do is develop a way to learn from your past experiences and apply that knowledge into your present way of thinking and operating. It is in this way only that you can create a better future. An exercise I often ask people to do after they have had a not-so-good experience; finished a major project or are planning a major initiative is to ask themselves these four questions – based upon what has either happened or their past experiences in general, what would you –

1. start doing
2. stop doing
3. do more of, and
4. do less of

This short little exercise is the equivalent of looking at their “game films”. Isn’t that how great athletes and great teams get better? As I once read, “There are no mistakes in life, just lessons”. It’s up to you to decide how far you want to go.

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