|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Marketing vs Selling - Why Theres A Difference
Marketing is something that we do to let people know what products we have to offer. Selling is something that we do to show people that the products we have to offer are of value to them. In the high tech world of today, much of what we consider marketing is very inconspicuous. Messages are moving at the speed of light, and we are hardly even aware of what we saw or heard that ever made us think eating fast food meant getting good food fast! Marketing is all around us - from the letters that appear in our mind when our stomach hurts. Yes, we know what spells relief to the jingle in our head when we think of the first and second name we give the meat in our sandwich. We have all done it, ran into the store to buy something, and called it out by the brand...not by the actual product name. When was the last time you were thinking of something, as simple as coffee, and "Starbucks" appeared in your mind? This, my friend, is what they call "savvy marketing" and it's as old as the day is long. The reason that marketing has been around for so long, is that for some odd reason, the more we keep something in the forefront of our mind, the more we inquire, the more we "Google" it, and the more we buy it - it is why we think that we're wearing Levi's instead of jeans. Marketing is what people do to get us interested in the "brand" of their product. Marketing is what causes us to dream and imagine and wish. When someone markets a product or service to us, they are helping us to get more familiar with it. They are asking us to be really comfortable with hearing the brand, saying the brand, asking about the brand and eventually, leading us to a place where we find a NEED for just that brand. Marketing is the first step to a long-term relationship with any product, and the more product a person has to sell - the longer we may find ourselves involved in the relationship. Marketing is the most thought out component of any large selling campaign, because without this one step - the marketing - no-one knows that we're even there. The idea that once they know us and we know them (which seems like forever) is when we are able to like what we hear and trust what they have. Selling usually comes in right about here...the point of purchase. This is where we are helped to find the best solution for us. Selling is fine tuning the brand / product / service to fit our needs exclusively, and this is where some people start to shy away. Selling isn't always up close, but it IS personal. Selling, if done correctly, can create a lifetime of loyal product / service users, and should always be done with the utmost respect, trust and honor. Selling is what helps a consumer to decide if this product that has been marketed to them is really what they need AND if the pain they have is strong enough to get rid of, or if the pleasure is great enough to invest. Selling is the next step to that wonderful place called referrals, and that can't happen if we haven't been able to deliver what we marketed our product to do. Our job when we market our product or service is to create for our client a reason to want to begin a relationship with us. They need to know. just by the sound of our brand, that we are worth pursuing. Not only do they need to be comfortable with what we are sharing, they also need to know that over and over again until they believe it for themselves. So, as we look at the way we are creating relationships with our future clients, look at the process in having them trust us. If we are skipping step one in relationship building (the marketing) then step two (selling), will be much more difficult - and step three (referrals & word of mouth) is then almost impossible. We may have the greatest product out on the market today, and it may very well be the one thing that solves all of the world's problems, BUT, if we haven't figured out how to speak to people in a caring and comfortable way, they will never get the chance to know us, and people who don't know us will not buy from us! Marketing has to be the FIRST thing we do to make our product and relationship with our clients successful. My program "Get Clients Now" will help you to understand this process by consistently doing something every single day to ensure results. For more information and workshop times please visit: http://www.thekoach.com/business/getclients.html When you have a limited amount of time to make an unlimited amount of money...Every bit of your Effort should be Effective! Candye Hinton is dedicated to helping other people give wings to their entrepreneurial dreams. She particularly enjoys mentoring coaches and home-based business owners by helping them to develop the habit of being successful. Candye has a thriving coaching practice that focuses on three key areas - business consulting, mentor coaching and personal development. Effective Effort Coaching
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
3 High-Impact Fixes For Your Marketing Woes How many times has your competitor gotten one over on you? The feeling of being left behind just eats away, until you do something about. The problem is that we often feel that we've got to come up with some grand plan in order to get our business skyrocketing again. Don't be fooled! Getting back on top of the market isn't as tough as it seems with these high-impact, easy-to-use fixes. Turbocharge New Sales with a Marketing Database What is the most valuable asset your company owns? Inventory? Equipment? Employees? If you've got customers, your number one asset is your customer list. Do Not Consider Running the Same Yellow Page Ad until You Read This Grant Businesses have a love-hate relationship with the Yellow Page directory On the one hand, business owners know they need to be there - even though everyone they compete against is there, too. They rightly fear their ad won't get noticed. That's why questions like, "How big should it be?" become important (along with up-grades that jack up an ad's cost). Are they worth it? Who knows! The whole topic is complicated and a tad intimidating. A lot is riding on the ad's ability to pull in more business. Advertisers don't feel they understand Yellow Page issues well enough to make the "right choice." So they often avoid thinking about it altogether. Even when they realize their ad isn't drawing much business, an advertiser is reluctant to make changes. To what? So, what's the rush? The Yellow Page directory only comes out once a year. Whether an ad performs like a dynamo or a disappointment, the business is stuck with it until the next directory comes around. So there's plenty of time to consider what could make it better. But somehow, people seldom do. But at some point, the ad shifts from back burner to urgent, as the next directory's deadline approaches. Decisions about what it will look like are often made "on the fly." So it never gets the scrutiny it deserves, so it can deliver the most "bang for the buck." Time pressure (coupled with the urging of the Sales Rep) leads many business owners to just "stick with what I have." That decision means hardly having to think about it at all. For another year, anyway. But that's not the best strategy - just the quickest. A business owner should carefully consider the wisdom of each aspect of their directory listing - wording, images, size, options, which directories or headings, etc. Change involves more than the ad's appearance Never change your ad just to make it prettier. Modifications should help you connect even better with directory user's needs. That involves focusing your message and distinctive style (which is communicated in a glance) so it grabs them. Get the advice you need to fine-tune your ad from industry experts at http://www.yellowpagesage.com There's no need to feel stuck with an under-performing ad. Changing your ad can involve increasing or decreasing its size or features (or going in an unrelated direction). But such revisions are simple, compared to more complex and influential issues, like whether it communicates your distinctive personality and benefits. If you're unclear about your message, don't be surprised if readers don't get it. Sharpening your customer-grabbing message should be an ongoing concern, and not just for the Yellow Pages. Directory users are looking for information to make their buying choices easier. Looking and sounding like every other ad doesn't serve their needs - and it doesn't serve you, either. Re-assess the wisdom of your Yellow Page strategy What you spend for your Yellow Page listing is only a portion of your advertising budget. How big a slice should it be? Resist the temptation to over-spend for the value received (as most advertisers do). Costs should bear some relationship to the amount of business coming through them - which involves tracking your calls and sales. Consider directory costs relative to all the ways customers find you. Where does most new business really come from? Are marketing dollars better spent elsewhere? Figure the source of new business before getting caught by secondary questions like: how large, or which headings, or whether options like color make sense. Recognize the changes affecting directory usage. Buyers aren't relying on the print directory like they used to. Many use the Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) and search engines focused with local terms. Think about whether to direct some directory dollars there. Update your information to keep it current Business changes occur all the time. Don't forget to bring your data up to date when placing your next year's advertising. Business changes affecting your ad - Change of business name, or splitting into more than one company or brand - Added or different phone numbers; same with addresses - Add your Web site address (domain URL) or email address - Changed your policies, hours, services (like free delivery) - Additional product lines or services (like classes or supplies) - Update years in service (if in your ad) - New awards, degrees, etc. that can bolster credibility - Adding a partner (especially for professions) - Remove what's no longer true or relevant Think long and hard about what will make you stand out in the directory during the year (not just at renewal time). The success of your business could depend on how well your ad does its job. (c) 2004, Lynella Grant First Steps to Developing a Marketing Plan Direct Mail . . . Newspaper . . . Radio . . . Online. There are countless places to spend each advertising dollar. The hard part is determining the most effective medium for your business. It is not a matter of "One Size Fits All." The response rate for each media type will vary depending on the product or service you offer, your target market, and the characteristics of the community that you are marketing in. Even in the same industry, what works in one place may not work in another. 8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns It's almost a given that when I speak to a new client, she tells me how much she's always hated marketing herself. "I'm no good at it" and "No matter what I try, it doesn't work" are common complaints. Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise Whether you're a former retail store owner known for yourcreativity, a championship bridge player, or apsychotherapist with a long current waiting list foropenings, if you possess expertise that makes colleaguesand aficionados want your pearls of wisdom, you can createa new income stream with an online mentorship program. Marketing Messages: Your 10 Most Important Business Principles As a self-employed professional, you have two basic strategies for your marketing efforts: Writing or Speaking. Signage for Mobile Car Wash Vehicles If you are in the mobile car wash business and you should be. Then you know that your clean work vehicles is your best piece of advertising. But what type of signage should you put on it? Your work vehicles will be very visible in the parking lots while you are working. It will be seen all day long as it is driven around town and when it is parked and you are working. The truck should be used as a sales tool. This brings us to the topic of signage on the van or truck. How can we sell car washes, recruit new customers and at the same time provide a proper image for our customers and the corporations where we clean cars at? Business In 2010: A New Face of Marketing The term "internet marketing" was virtually non-existent a short 8 years ago, now it is a growing phenomenon that is raking millions every year. Because of this expanding industry, the internet landscape it changing. Where are the changes going to be? I fully expect a growth in interactive end-user experiences - an online environment catering to the individual preferences of a singular visitor. I also foresee a massive change in the way we market online. A change could include "personalized" advertisements embedded so deeply into the product that the user does not realize it as an ad. How Architecture Rendering is Part of the Impact Cartoons have gone from celluloid to digital. Movies have gone from cinematography to computer graphics imaging. And architecture rendering has gone from pastels and paint pigments to fractals and figments. 4 Steps to Successful Offline Event Booths A great way to gain more local sales is to rent a booth at a fair or bizaar. These can be a fun way to spend the day, and if done correctly a profitable one at that. The following are steps you can take to ensure you receive the most sales within the hours or days of the event. Marketing A Misunderstood or Scary Product or Service What do you do if your business, product or service is something hardly anyone is aware of or understands? Or worse yet, if it is something they are afraid of or want to avoid? What IS the Difference Between Marketing and Sales? There seems to be a never ending argument among marketing andsales professionals as to what really is the difference betweenmarketing and sales functions. More often than not, bothbusiness activity terms are used to describe any businessactivity that is involved in increasing revenues. For smallbusinesses, with limited resources, there often is no practicaldifference in marketing and sales functions, all revenuegenerating activities are typically implemented by the samepersonnel. Clever Headlines Usually Flop! Are You Being Too Clever For Your Own Good? Copywriters that try to be clever, humorous, abstract, or use double entendre with their headlines and ads will normally find that they flop and are thus a waste of both time and money. Many of the Super Bowl ads fall in this category. While they are often funny to watch, most people don't remember what company the ad was promoting. Secrets of Trade Show Success The ropers at Annie Oakley's Real Western Dudette Ranch were all riding high in the saddle. It was just before their first ecotourism and adventure travel trade show in Chicago, and they just knew they would rope in big sales. Creative Emulation In business we have a number of ways or tools that we use to stimulate improvement. Most of us could recite these in our sleep: Rising Postal Rates? Don?t Cut Down the Direct Mail The United States Post Office in the past had some trouble with its finances and their solution was to raise the postal rates. Whether or not you agree with this approach to trying to stay in business, like the weather and government in general, it's something you have to live with. How to Set Up & Organize Your Customer Mailing List For Optimum Results Your list of customers who have previously bought from you isyour most important asset. These are the customers who willprovide you with return business, which is more profitable thanthe first sale. But, are you getting the most from your customerlist? There are some secrets you should know, so you can squeezethe most benefits out of your mailing list. What Does Your Logo Color Say About Your Business? And not only your logo, but also your website, your brochure, your business cards and any of your marketing materials for that matter. Motivating Shoppers with Online Coupons (Part 2 of 2) Last time we discussed how online coupons and promotion codes can motivate buyers. We discussed examples of coupons and some of the aspects of these offers that can boost sales and generate urgency to a purchase. Today we'll focus on how to create great landing pages and the use of affiliate programs to further enhance your marketing efforts.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
