Are you A Trendsetter or a Follower?
There are many articles written about what you must do to market a business successfully. The only problem is, there are many people who follow these suggestions and fall flat on their faces. Every day people are given the same set of must dos: start a website, get into social marketing, network, blog, and so on, but you have to wonder if this type of list isn’t just more peg in the copycat wheel of conformity.
This is the real question: who developed these products in the first place? Who first discovered their potential? Who first made money from them? How and why? The real jewel is in discovering the psychology behind why these things work for some business owners and not for others. Even having a Facebook following in the four or five digits is no guarantee you will make money on anything. There are as many ‘looky loos’ ready to copy you as there are potential clients. The key isn’t in copying, it is in converting.
Make the Main Message the Main Message
One thing that doesn’t change is, if you have a product to launch or a service to supply, you will need to get the message out there to those who need to hear it. That means looking for ways to have your message cross paths with your potential supporters. Don’t fall into the trap of following the list of rules others will sell you though. What works for one product, service or entrepreneur will not necessarily work for another in exactly the same way. Today “unique” is in style. If you are creative, don’t let any supposed marketing expert tell you that you need to conform to a list of dos and don’ts. If you have fresh new ideas about how to get your message across, go for it! The world is waiting for the next great discovery which may seem a little weird, whacky or difficult to understand on the surface, but just might raise a ruckus worth noting.
Focus on Your Solution
As always, focus on how your product or service will provide a solution to a need a person with a little cash on hand has. Don’t focus on how wonderful you and your business degrees and years of experience are. People rarely care about that at first glance. They are more interested to hear how they will enjoy what you are about to offer. They want to know how what you’re selling will relieve them of a problem they have or prevent them from having a problem in the future.
Sell Your Expertise
Another group of people you might profit from aren’t necessarily looking for a solution to a big problem. They’re looking for an affiliation. These individuals might desire to be seen as peers rather than expect you to be some mentor that towers over them. They may want to rely less on your counsel than they do on your applause. Maybe their problem is more in the lines of needing momentum or inspiration. Sometimes they are just looking for someone, something or some group that they can bond with that will help them achieve their own goals. Simply put, they might merely want to rub shoulders with you and pay you to do so.
Some people may feel their own reputation will be given a boost if they can ride on your notoriety. People try to do it all the time for free. Are there ways they can pay you for that pleasure? If not, is there something they can do for you in fair exchange like mention you in their blog or refer customers to you?
Package Your Skills
These types of affiliations offer new potential everywhere, but you won’t have time to be friends with or mentor everybody who shows interest. Today is an information hungry age, however. This information sharing niche provides new ways to grow a business both vertically and horizontally. For instance, perhaps you’ve been doing well in selling to customers for years and have ongoing new product launches. Outsiders want to know how you’ve done it. Selling your products is vertical growth, but teaching your peers how you’ve done it is horizontal growth. Why not package your skills and experience into seminars or create and sell online downloadable products that will teach and inspire others?
Sure, you can use all the traditional methods to get your message out there in order to grow you business, but don’t limit yourself. Don’t spend valuable time working on something you know will have little results. Let your creativity out. Be bold and try new things. Even falling on your face is a lesson someone will want to know about and is valuable information (remember they want to buy things that will prevent them from having a problem in the future). Be creative and try something new and see if you can’t become the latest trendsetter.
- 4 Ways to Make Your Start-Up Look Professional - July 8, 2022
- Your Website – An Investment Or An Expense? - March 1, 2022
- Onsite SEO: Mistakes to Avoid! - February 1, 2022
