Our society has changed and with it the need for marketing and the tools to effectively reach your desired customers. However; what should you consider as part of your marketing program and even more important where do you start? I still know that many of my friends and peers still like to use the newspaper, telephone book and an assortment of paper media. Also, some think that the bigger the add the better the chance to attract new customers. However, based on my own personal experience, I don’t buy the newspaper anymore nor do I look anything in the telephone book. Yet this is no reason to panic as I’m not the ideal customer for everyone, on the other hand, the fact that I don’t use these tools any more does say something about the new market and how to approach your particular customer. The reality is that customer behavior varies based on age, location, financial status, sex and many more variables. Another reality is that you can expend money in marketing and never reach your actual target audience. Therefore, before you embark in a foolish enterprise do your homework and consider the following:
- Know your customer. Find out what services your customer buys and where do they go to buy them. Even knowing how they search for these services may be the difference between success and failure.
- Know yourself. What services do you offer that matches those your clients buy? You may know what your clients need but it means nothing if they are not interested.
- Keep it simple. It is great to have certifications and offer specialized services but this means nothing if your customers don’t know what you are talking about.
Marketing is not easy but in today’s date a necessity if you want to run a successful business.