Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/320565
JUNE 2014 26 THE JOURNAL The ABCs of Effective Marketing BY SCOTT STROUD MARKETING CONSULTANT If you're in the "I Hate Marketing Club", I don't blame you. Not one bit. Marketing is only fun for marketers, most of whom are just guessing at what they do and ex- perimenting with your money. "Let's try this…", they say. And when that doesn't work, they'll try something else. It's like gambling – fun and exciting, but you never seem to come away with as much as you spend. Well, good marketing is measurable and re- sults-driven. And good marketers hold them- selves accountable for the return on investment their clients get from their efforts. Why Most Marketing Fails Most business owners end up being disap- pointed with their marketing. That's largely be- cause they 'shoot from the hip', placing ads they like in places that are inexpensive (or free, like social media) – instead of thinking from their buyer's perspective and what they will respond to. What I'm talking about is a lack of strategy – the purpose why you're putting your name out there and specifically what you want to get back from any specific ad or campaign. To be clear, the purpose of any and all marketing should be to generate sales. Not lead, not likes, not shares – sales. If you start thinking in those terms and then creating benchmarks by which you measure the success of a campaign, then you can manage your marketing – and your marketers – for results. Strategy – Generate more sales. Countless books have been written on why ef- fective marketing is critical to the success of your business (it is), and how to craft great ads that get the phone ringing. This article will focus on just 3 components of building a marketing strategy that generates sales. This 'ABC' approach is a simple process to clarify your purpose and ensure you stay on point: A – Attract Attention Like a bee to a flower, you first must get the at- tention of your target market – the people most interested in your product and service and most likely to buy from you. So, ask: What is it that my buyers are looking right now? Why are they on the market, searching for a new home? What are they most likely to respond to? What can I say or show that will attract the interest and keep their attention so that they'll look closely at me? Of those questions, start with the 'why'. Un- derstand that if someone has taken the trouble to find you, either your sales office or your website, they have a particular and present need – a reason for looking to make a change. Why? Answer that question and address the big 'why' in your headlines and offers, and you'll have buyer's at- tention. Your attraction message must be relevant to your buying audience. They need to see you, your product and your company as a solution to a par- ticular need; to see themselves in the picture you paint with the copy and pictures you show them. And that brings us to the 'B' of the ABCs: B – Benefits The single biggest mistake that I see from ad- vertising and websites is that they talk about the features of a product or service – bigger, stronger, more efficient, etc. Your buyer doesn't care about the features, he/she cares about what those features can do for them, the benefits they get. Instead of 'bigger', it's roomier; more comfort- able for your family. 'Stronger' translates into safety – "Your family will be safe, secure and pro- tected by our above-code construction." Energy efficiency is great, but quantify it: "This home will cost an average of $237 per month less to heat and cool than you spend in your present home. That's money in your pocket." The benefits, the "What's in it for me", is what your buyer is really interested in. The features are just how the benefits are delivered. Talk about your features and your buyers will feel unfulfilled and unimpressed. Show them how those features translate into tangible benefits and they'll become emotionally involved with your home or commu- nity. C – Call to Action If you don't ask, you won't get. So, don't be ambiguous in stating what you want your prospects to do – the next step or action they should take. If you captured their attention and earned their interest with your benefits, then tell them what to do next. Amazingly, that's exactly what your buyers want you to do. Most of us feel that we hate to be told what to do, but in reality we crave it. When you're on an unfamiliar street, you hope for a road sign (or the voice from your GPS) that says 'Turn Here'. Your buyers are the same. Buying a new home or moving to a new community is unfamil- iar ground for them. When they aren't sure what should happen next, they rely on you to tell them. It's reassuring and helps them muster up the courage to move forward. So, be clear what you want your prospects to do – and why they should do it now. "Call now to learn how our new homes can cost you less to own than a used home." Click here to download an area map showing how close you are to everything when you call our community 'home'." "Come in today to experience the comfort and safety of our gated community." "Call to schedule a tour of our award-winning model to see how spacious and comfortable your new home will be." Those are the ABCs of creating an effective marketing strategy. They are all about your buy- ers and their interests. Use this to create your messaging and graphics, understanding that your prospects get excited when they can see them- selves represented in your marketing, and you'll have a good foundation for building marketing campaigns that result in sales. Scott Stroud helps manufacturers, retailers and communi- ties drive revenue and increase sales through marketing and sales process automation. Scott is an accomplished market- ing process strategist, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant and CASHFLO® certified reseller, and manages and ad- vises small businesses on sales, marketing, automation & technology, and social media. Contact Scott at sstroud@builderradio.com, or call 606-677-0447. T J