You Have A Marketing Problem

How do I know you have a marketing problem?

Well, you are complaining that you aren’t busy enough. Or it is the wrong type of work. Or the wrong type of clients. Or your ideas just aren’t spreading. Or you clients just aren’t that loyal. Or your cost of customer acquisition is too high.

There is something not quite right.

Our natural response is to shout louder. Such a selfish act. The real message that comes across is, “my bonus/dividend depends on me making more sales so please buy from me at www.buyfromme.com.

So, I ask my favourite question, “Why should people buy from you when they can buy from the competition?”

The trouble is that the profit-hungry selfish capitalist money machine has no shame. It is shameless. The end justifies the means. What other so-called professional proudly deceives, cons, junk mails, and coerces their customer to buy stuff.

(Bad) Marketing is about getting people to buy stuff they don’t really want. Is that your attitude?

Maybe it is time to redefine our terms.

Maybe your job is not to sell but to help people. Help them get what they want.

First you need to understand who they are and what they are trying to achieve. Only then can you help them. And maybe, just maybe you can’t help all of them. But that is OK because you can really engage with a smaller number or you can just sell stuff to any Tom, Dick or Harry who’ll buy it (once). I know which I’d prefer to do.

So, is your marketing just what you do to make sales to earn your bonus? In other words, is it really all about you?

Or, is your marketing all about understanding the hurts, needs, wants and itches of your target customers and figuring out how to help them.

Some final thoughts.

People don’t buy from you for what you do…, but for what you do does for them.

Have you figured out WHO your product is for?  And WHY do they want it?

What AFTERS are they looking for, what benefits?

What is your story that separates you from the crowd? Or do you just sell on being the cheapest (today)?

“Why should people buy from you when they can buy from the competition?” If you can’t answer that question that go back to the start…