13 January 2009
Your customers are smarter than ever before with access to more detailed information on the products and services that are available to them, and they themselves are becoming educated experts on the subject.

With the advent of the online space the world of marketing that had previously existed has made a change. Your customers are smarter than ever before with access to more detailed information on the products and services that are available to them, and they themselves are becoming educated experts on the subject. Today’s marketing systems have made a move from telling to teaching. Prior to the internet it was sufficient to just get the word out about the product or service you sell. These days you need to go further… and your marketing system should reflect this dedication to going the extra mile.

1. Develop a Marketing System

marketing system with education as the focusWith a consistent investment in marketing activities, you can ensure the steady flow of clients during good and bad times. Your marketing system should be focused on the education of your clients, as opposed to feeding them a sales pitch. In other words, instead of offering a brochure outlining the services you provide, write an executive brief called, "Triple Your Online Sales in Four Easy Steps - Guaranteed."

It is important to build your marketing system in a way that will allow for a variety of different methods to be used in gaining visibility and a standardized follow up method for interested prospects. Good examples of marketing tools that work include newsletters, blog articles, and white papers that drive people to your site, where you then offer additional valuable information and reports. Additional methods to gain exposure for your business could involve giving speeches at local organizations on a subject that you are an expert in, media stunts, and client referral programs. These approaches don't cost much to implement outside of time, and will improve your visibility in ways that your prospects appreciate.

Please don't claim that you don’t have the time, money, and expertise to do more marketing. Anyone can find 30-60 minutes a day to commit to marketing. Money is not a factor because many marketing tactics cost little to nothing. And there is plenty of material out there on how to market, all of which will cost you a fraction of what a new client is worth.

In coming installments I will go into greater detail on the marketing system in which I’ve chosen to implement for my own company Bucca.com… which you can then use as a model for establishing your own marketing system. OR if you’re interested in working with Bucca to build your marketing system feel free to contact us at 877.811.5039 or through our website.

2. The Power of People

Long term, it is fruitless to exchange your time for money. You can only leverage your own time and skills for so long before you will find yourself limiting your earning potential. A powerful tactic used by most successful operations is to make money by working with other people. For instance, you can develop a strong network of people who can refer business to you and you can refer business back to. Another option would be to build a network of complementary professionals you can use on large projects, and start to market more complete solution to your clients utilizing your new network. When you find that the time is right, hire contractors that you pay only when they work, as opposed to hiring a full-time employee to keep your business as lean as it can be, and in turn lowering business risk. Working with other people, in a smart way, both from a marketing and production angle, is important to building your business.

3. Million Dollar Solutions

million dollar marketing solutionsAre you interested in operating a million dollar business? Then you need to develop a million-dollar solution. Stop only doing the small piece meal jobs for clients, and start finding ways to help the client solve their big picture problems. The better you understand the specific strategic problems your clients face, the better your chances of coming up with a million dollar solution. If you combine a million dollar solution with “People Power”, who can help you implement and market it, you’re in the sweet spot of business, and my guess is you will soon start to see success beyond your wildest dreams.

4. AND... Repeat

Some of the most successful companies that I know got that way by developing solutions that they could use over and over again. For instance, one web design firm I’m familiar with developed a website for a mortgage broker which they then sold over and over again to tens of thousands of brokers, with easy to implement changes from broker to broker. Similarly, other web design companies have created similar site for all sorts of industries: lawyers, doctors, home builders, fitness clubs, realtors, and shopping sites. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel when you can develop a repeatable solution, then customize it to specific clients. This method also dramatically increases your return on investment.