Copyright 2005 Robin Harris, DesignerLife
For many burgeoning entrepreneurs, the "M" word can be an
unexpected stop gate to the realization of their potential for
success. Mmm, mmm, mmm, marketing, for the non-sales oriented
entrepreneur occurs like a serious impairment to communicating
with potential ideal clients (customers). When this skill is
missing from their natural repertoire, their business, no matter
how vast its potential, can languish in cycles of struggle and
low profits.
The traditional marketing approach that one can study in
academia or via a plethora of books from the local book store
does not even begin to shed light on what distinguishes the
effective marketer from one that is not. It's a combination of
skills, which you can learn, and talent, which you can't.
Finding the right combination of strategies to leverage what you
are naturally good at is the key to transforming your marketing
activities from ineffective drudgery to a fun and profitable
activity, which I refer to as "Marketing BLING".
When you have "Marketing BLING", your marketing activities flow
from your passion and talent and your ability to connect with
your ideal clients is close to effortless. It's like a game you
love to play, and yes, you may get a little winded and have to
wipe the sweat from your brow, but you know you are on the
court, playing full-out.
This type of marketer, I will fondly refer to as the New World
Marketer; she or he represents a new global species of
entrepreneur that is very likely to have a strong presence on
the Internet. They carve out a niche for themselves that
embodies a new business model where work and play merge into an
almost seamless adventure.
The New World Marketer has abandoned theory and old rules in
exchange for a customized system that expresses who they are,
who they serve in the market place, and showcases a style of
certainty and confidence because they know they are perfectly
suited to help their ideal clients. This detour from traditional
marketing approaches leads the entrepreneur to find a path that
has a high degree of workability for both the entrepreneur and
their ideal clients.
In the old business model, the business plan covered the idea of
the unique selling proposition (UPS) as the collection of
benefits and features that give the business an advantage over
the competition. In the new business model, the viewpoint
extends beyond simply product and integrates the unique
entrepreneur into the offer because relationship marketing is
the only kind that leads to customer loyalty. Even if your
product is non-distinct, plain vanilla, or available through
other retailers ... you still have one trump card to play when
you can draw from your own unique blend of experience,
knowledge, and passion. By intentionally integrating those
qualities into how you connect with your ideal clients, you can
easily create long-term profitable relationships.
In this marketing paradigm, which I call "Marketing With A
Story" (MWAS), you know who your ideal client is, you understand
their problems, concerns, and needs, and you have put together a
comprehensive solution that can be offered on a gradient and
provide a experience of value even prior to consummating the
buyer/seller relationship.
Your ability to leverage this strategy depends on 3 simple
strategies:
1. You have identified your ideal client type, you understand
their problem, and you have a workable solution.
2. You have some unique experience or perspective that, when
combined with knowledge, passion, communication, and products
and/or services naturally attracts the ideal client.
3. You can offer the perspective ideal client something of value
at-no-charge that moves them closer to problem-resolution, thus
ushering them happily into your marketing pipeline.
The most important piece of the MWAS approach to marketing is
YOU! You have to be willing to own your unique magnificence that
has been birthed from experiences of both failures and
successes. Your experience and your perspective can be cradled
within your unique brand of passion for solving the client's
problem to create the pinnacle of a holistic UPS. When this
strategy is thoughtfully executed, you will find there is no
competition; the ideal clients that you can help will recognize
you just like you will recognize them.
Here are 5 ways to begin your own MWAS marketing campaign:
1. Invest time in identifying and understanding your ideal
client type
2. Gain intimate insight into their pressing problem that you
intend to solve
3. Put together the optimum solution to solve their pressing
problem
4. Leverage your experience, perspective, knowledge, and passion
so that it clearly positions you to connect with and help your
ideal clients
5. Peel off a small piece of the problem that you can solve for
free as a way of introducing yourself to your ideal clients and
gaining their trust
And so I'll leave you with these final words:
You ain't got a thing without Marketing BLING, do-wah, do-wah,
do-wah, do-wah.
About the author:
Robin Harris is a Certified Coach and Founder
http://www.Marketing-With-A-Story.com She works with
entrepreneurs who want to market with ease by using their
personal experiences, knowledge, and passion to attract their
ideal clients and create effortless profit centers.
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