How are you marketing your meatball?
Most small business owners are in the business of selling meatballs—those tried and true products and services that we use every day. These items are mainstays of our lives but don’t call out for excitement, especially online buzz. But as we have all seen, online buzz builds businesses and brands and can make their owners rich. Don’t despair! All businesses can use online marketing to their advantage.
While browsing the bookstore one afternoon, I came across this crazy book with a picture of a meatball slathered in whipped cream on front. Of course, I picked it up. This newest book, “Meatball Sundae: Is your marketing out of sync?” from marketing guru, Seth Godin offers great advice on how businesses like ours can benefit from the power on online marketing.
Even if you already have a great website or blog or send out a monthly email newsletter, you probably are not seeing the results that you want. The simple reason? Online marketing is not about doing what everyone else already is doing. To stand out in a sea of websites, blogs, and online videos, you must rethink the core of your business. This new media demands better products, better services, and most of all better companies.
How do we become better? Godin talks about several principles in his book but the one that stuck with me was communication. Here are three easy ways you can communicate better with you customers:
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Keep in touch
Find some way to correspond with your prospects and customers on a regular basis. The easiest way is to send out an email newsletter every month or even every other month. Before jumping in feet first, read items two and three because they are key to seeing results from your communication.
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Present an authentic message
The days of business speak and marketing gobbly-gook are over. Speak to your customers in their language and be honest in what you say. Don’t be afraid to tell a story instead of using your same old sales pitch. If your story is compelling, it will connect your customer to you.
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Add value to your message
This one is easy—instead of selling to prospects teach them something. By offering a taste of your product or service for free, you are building trust and showcasing the superiority of your offering. Remember, that this not about a single sale but building a long-term relationship with another person.
I encourage you try out these tips out and see what happens. If you do them well, you will see your customer relationships change for the better. Should you have a really great success (or even a failure), email it to me. I would like to hear how my tips work for you. And finally, if you know someone who could benefit from this advice share this article with them. Good luck!
