On Friday, I mentioned that I'd found a way for readers of this blog to make money promoting the products offered by Project FED which will also support the Nigerian orphans. During my Sunday Strategy post yesterday, and in today's YouTube video tutorial of how to sign up for Zazzle's affiliate program so that those who are interested can make money promoting the products, I promised I would start teaching the basics of marketing so that those who are interested are supported in their efforts.
Marketing: The Right Way
Many people THINK they know what marketing is, and most of them are wrong. Most people, when they picture marketing, think of Don Draper from Mad Men. They think of a sleazy guy who will tell you whatever he thinks you want to hear in order to get you to buy a product you don't need and that may not even be good for you.
They also think of ad campaigns on TV and Radio, Superbowl commercials, and billboards. Those are examples of types of marketing, but, again, that's not what marketing actually is. It's just one way of doing it.
The right marketing is more like Jay Bauer's Youtility Marketing: It's designed to provide so much value to the lives of the people that you want to attract that they would gladly pay you money to receive it and can't believe they are getting it for free.
Marketing: Meet Audiences, Relay Knowledge, Engage Them, Invite to Network with a Gift
The real job of a marketer is to first find the audience that needs the product, program, or service that is being offered, then meet them, relay knowledge about the product, program, or service to them, and engage them in conversations that invite new growth for the both of you.
If you're confused about what that all means, don't worry, I'm going to explain.
Meet Audiences
Effective marketing isn't done one-on-one. It's done to groups of people that share a common need or interest. Those people that share that common need or interest are your audience. You want to speak to them.
In order to speak to them, you first need to get to know who they are and where they hang out both online and offline so you can connect with them. You also need to spend a little time getting to know them and understanding what they like, what they dislike, how they speak, and what problems concern them the most, especially as it relates to what you have to offer.
Since you're helping to sell custom-designed products on a Zazzle store, it's likely that these people are affluent gift-givers who are trying to find unique items that can't be bought in mainstream stores. Their concern is about pleasing the hard-to-buy-for-person.
Relay Knowledge
You, as a marketer, want to become a go-to source of information about where to find the things that will help your audience meet their needs. You want to answer questions, provide useful tips and insights into the market, and share your strategies. Don't be afraid that you're going to give away too much information.
While some people will take your information and decide to do things by themselves, the people you want to attract are affluent because they live very busy lives and do not have time to spend finding the perfect gift. Your willingness to provide this service of helping them find the perfect gift for their loved one will be appreciated because of the time it saves them searching for what they need.
Engage Them
In any social situation, 80% of the people in a room are there to get something. You want to be part of that rare 20% that is there to give something. Your job is to look for opportunities to serve the people you want to reach, which is where engagement comes into play.
Engaging them in conversations that are designed to help you figure out what their needs are, what you can do to help them meet those needs, and where they are at in the process of getting those needs met. This is where you employ the SALES strategy:
Seek to serve them and not to be served by them,
Ask relevent questions to help you get a clearer picture of their needs
Listen to understand (not to respond) their challenges and the way they see things
Empathize with their situation
Share your strategy for helping them overcome their challenge.
Of course, it's not just about that first conversation you have but about every conversation you have afterward. You want to cultivate a relationship with them, which is what the I, N, and G are all about.
Invite to Network with a Gift
Invite them to join your network of people who have similar needs and interests and offer them a gift for doing so. You've seen this strategy employed countless times when people ask for your email address in exchange for getting something they are giving you. Make sure the gift you offer appears to be high in value but is very low in cost to you.
The ideal gift is also a sample of the kind of service or product that they can expect to receive when they work with you. Think of the sample of a brownie that you might get from a bakery. That small taste lets you know whether or not it's worth the money to buy the rest of the brownie.
This network that you are building is the key to your future success. Treat it like gold, because it is. They've trusted you with their contact information, so don't abuse that trust. Make sure that anytime you reach out to them, you are continuing to add value to their lives.
Do not reach out to them only to sell things. Be sure that 90% of your contact with them provides them with something that they can use or that will help them get closer to their goals, dreams, and desires.
Our Free Gift To You
Sign up to join Project FED, indicate that you are interested in our free marketing & sales training, and I will send you a free guide to marketing on Facebook including what NOT to do so you don't get your account banned.
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