I have a dream… ‘Oh no, now what’ say all those surrounding me. Used to being dragged along into a frenzy of what my partner calls (lovingly) ‘organised chaos’ but hear me out because its big, its exciting and its not about me!
The dream is this…. I want to see sad people be happy! And I know how I can play my part. Marketing.
Business owners everywhere are struggling, struggling to make people hear them – to make people see what they can do. Everyone is shouting to be above the noise but they’re just creating more noise, “why can’t we be different like those that succeed?” they ask, “we are just as good- possibly better! but people aren’t buying from us, why?” And THEN they have to learn new skills to keep up with the new digital world.
Let me make this plainly clear, there is NOTHING wrong with you OR your product/service. How to stand out as yellow in a sea of colour? The problem lies with communication, how you communicate effectively what you do to your ideal customer. How to single out those that are looking just for their favourite colour – yellow
Liken it to a smith in medieval times who makes the sharpest, most beautiful swords you have ever laid your eyes upon. He puts all his expertise, love and care into each one. These swords are as light as a feather, cut through leather like butter and look spectacular – no one makes swords like this smith in the known world. This man takes his masterpieces and displays them on a stall in the most elaborate fashion, they look incredible, ANYONE walking past wouldn’t be able to help themselves but stop and admire his work, he gets more for each piece than people are willing to pay because he is so amazing at what he does. He sets his stall up in the middle of a forest and sells one sword a month when a travelling party comes past. This man is feeling angry, defeated, and in financial distress.
In the next town, another smith resides, he is fast, takes little care and uses cheap metal – the swords are unattractive and heavy. This man sells his weapons out of bags BUT he places himself on the trail to a battle, not just on a trail but the last safe pit stop before battle begins, close enough for survivors each day to come back and get more. He sells every thing he has made and has orders each night for more, as fast as he can make these monstrosities they sell. As the battle goes on, he puts his prices up, he recognises demand and he takes advantage. By the end of the battle, he sells his cheapest product for more that the first man sells his most expensive and his buyers are still grateful and appreciative.
The difference between the two men? Not the product, not the service, not the passion – simply the communication between end user and business has been bridged.
Like McDonalds vs 95% of the café’s out there, who wins in quality and service? So why are McDonalds so busy? Because they know who their perfect customer is, how they think, they know what they do for a living, how old they are, the problems they are facing in life and they put their business on the path of these people through marketing. McDonald began 68 years ago with just one store. They now have over 30,000 stores world wide and over $40 billion in sales. Just to put it in perspective, that’s a growth of over 440 stores per year on average – why? Take a guess at who the target market is for McDonalds?
Know your target market, McDonald’s target market – children
Yep, children. Not only did they recognise this but they created a marketing strategy to communicate DIRECTLY to them. Happy meals were introduced and the first of their kind in the 1970’s and how did they promote them? Advertising in playgrounds all over the world, at children’s eye level. How simple. The company now implements their ‘5P’ marketing approach in each and every market they are in to make the most of their target market this is product, place, price, promotion and last of all – people.
So you know all this yet I can read your mind “how do I bridge that gap, nothing I do works, people still cant see me” enter – my dream.
Like your business is (I hope) your passion, what you make, do or sell is what you love…. The art of communication, marketing and sales strategy is mine. Marketing is something you are either a natural at or you have to apply to learn it and if for you its neither then you are in a sticky spot.
In the coming months I will be creating courses, blogs, Facebook groups and pages to make this process simpler for you. Marketing is a big beast, many study it at university and still don’t crack the code – but I have, why? Because I can communicate, I commit to finding the perfect customer for a business then I hunt them down and learn everything I can about them. I also commit to continually learn which in this ever changing digital world we now live in is imperative.
So join me, I hope to see lots of smiles and happy business owners – lets crack the code together and build success.
