Your Marketing Message

Marketing Message

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  A marketing message is a way to communicate your brand using tools, in an attempt to connect with your ultimate potential buyer, and for them to take action.  

   

  And you may require several tools!

   

  Marketing (if you didn’t know) is a way to highlight the value of a brand’s products or services and persuade customers to take a desired action. Marketing is something which has gone on for hundreds of years in many forms.

   

  From the old Moroccan Bizarre’s to the global trade of explorers and merchants selling fabrics, spices, sugar, precious metals and other goods, marketing is still necessary today.

   

  And so marketing is simply the action ‘or’ business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.

In that sense – Marketing has never changed, except that today we have so many ways to market a business as you may know.

Through the industrial era we used machinery to help us market our goods, creating News Papers and adverts.  And as time moved on and technology was born, the scope for Marketing formed into something with no limits.

Your marketing message will depend on the type of small business you own, and what your brand represents, for example, if you own an online business you will be able to leverage Social Media, Forums, Blogs, video, podcasts and much more, and even if you own and offline business you an still use these tools, but what matters is ‘who’ needs to see your message and why.

No matter what type of business model you wish to operate the core fundamentals of marketing remains the same.   

Ask yourself; What is my brand story? And why?  What this does is enable your business to share through value and through connecting with the right demographic of people in order to share these beliefs and values around your product or service.

The effectiveness of your brand will also depend upon your culture.  This is because a great culture can drive innovation, and innovation and controlled risk taking or isolated risk taking through the right environment for your team to perform and feel free to express themselves means great progress can be made.

It’s important to value all, and to enable others to speak openly in order to communicate with each other and form greater ways of working to create better results.

So, you message must be understood by all but also fluid in that everyone can challenge thoughts and ideas in order to maximize the effectiveness of the message and brand.

Thus innovation can be a part of a risk process, but one in which there is sufficient awareness and power to manage it.

We should all be open enough to challenge the way we work, to make leaps forward, and to offer new insights around our diagnostics to understand the drivers, or what reasons there are for why performance is the way it is.

Through learning, evolving and experimenting in our culture’s behavior we can consistently improve our approach.

In your team learn to trust each other, listen and communicate, support each other, enable development, build rapport and relationships and ensure that all know the direction you are headed in.

Clarity of value

Everyone needs to know the core values, and how they need to be expressed.  So be a leader!

How many times have you heard this one? 

But have you really acted upon it in life or business effectively? 

This is not about being pushy, aggressive or salesy, but about creating rapport, trust and relationship building, both in teams and with customers.

Which leads to eventual increased growth and transactions.

It is a critical approach for any professional business or company to form transparency and to enable their vision to be accepted and loved by all involved, so that the values are spoken to the customer. 

Always make it a part of your plan to understand your customer’s perception and ensure you master customer service!

No matter what type of small business you operate today, 
you will need some form of online presence, 
and that is because PEOPLE EXPECT IT!  
People want ease and convenience, so for example; 
if you have a cake shop then customers may want to buy 
these online and get them delivered.  

You need to be able to share your value online and offline in your Your Marketing Message.

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NOTE:  I always use many marketing channels and have a varied marketing mix.  But one thing I can tell you right off the bat is – DON’T HAVE A SCATTER GUN APPROACH to marketing, I know what works and what doesn’t!  If you don’t know what works then you will run out of money just trying it all.

You simply cannot try it all and hope for the best, you must measure everything.  

The key is to find out ‘what is working best for you’ and to scale from there. 

But also know what your core demographic responds to best. 

How will you ensure you do this right?

You can conduct surveys, polls, questionnaires etc. and through connecting with your target audience through a variety of channels, you can start to asses what is working and what is not with Your Marketing Message.

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Ask yourself:

What do my consumers want and expect?  It might be that you over deliver on that they want, and you can engage with clarity and dominate your market, but this means you first have to know where to place your resources. This way you and your team don’t waste time and money marketing to them in the wrong ways.  

TIP: Look at your bottom line expenses before you start throwing money at all kinds of marketing and promotion and be aware of all costs.  Hire an expert in marketing to help you with this if necessary.  

NOTE:  Your marketing message is all about communication as you now know. 

How you communicate what you do and why you do it is important, and how you deliver this is what makes the difference between growing a highly successful business and a business doomed for failure. 

So, you are also looking to lower risk through comprehensive application of your marketing.

How can you lower risk in all areas?

Well – as I touched on before – not all risk is bad!  But you will know the risks that you want to lower.

Sometimes we have to take risks in order to create and drive a progressive culture, and to push innovation, better quality and productivity.

A workforce that works on goals together and that communicates a greater level of connectedness encourages a collective momentum and support that moves into higher performance levels, through clarity and clear expectation.

This way everyone feels open to share ideas and deliver great value driven output to reach desired goals.

With a strong team that feels able to express their opinions, appreciation is felt and this will increase the care for the companies success,

and improve risk management.

So you need to get on top of all aspects of the business to become aware of the risks, including finances, investment and employee risks, including health and safety, liabilities, tech issues and so on.

Risk is best shared, so always be prepared to listen to others when it comes to finding the right solutions, and take the necessary steps to avoid whatever you can.

Get clear on your marketing strategy

Once you are clear on your Your Marketing Message you need to be certain of your marketing mix, your product, your audience, your external and internal operations.  Understand your strategic objectives, how you operate and being on top of your finances.

Now onto ‘why’ we buy!

Why do people buy?

Why do you buy?

What made you want what you have?

These are based around emotions, wants and needs, and the easier it is for you and me to buy something the more likely we are to buy it.

Everyone buys based on a fear of not having it, or on a passion to feel excited by it, so you need to know that your marketing message is designed in a way that is speaking to the consumer personally.

You only have to look around you at what is being marketed to you, and to check out your emails from well established companies to see how they do it. This is not rocket science but it is an opportunity to learn from the best at what they do.

Sometimes we need to change what we do in order to stay relevant, so this could mean a variety of things.  Always be prepared to look ahead of current reality.

TIP: You don’t need a huge budget to make a huge impact.  What you need is to be cleaver and to leverage what you have.

My model is – sharing not selling

By having a WordPress blog like this I can share information, build my list and promote affiliate products, as well as share my own books, and so this is a great way to market what I do, and it is automated. 

Through my content which is designed to be found on Google, it attracts to me the right readers to connect deeper with me.

Therefore, I can focus my marketing efforts this way.

I don’t sell, I share, and I have always believed in this process, as people generally prefer to be introduced to something rather than be sold to outright.   Think of used cars salesmen/women, they are not a thing like they used to be, because people today expect to be treated with respect and courtesy, not with a hard sell.

Be mindful that marketing is changing just as human behavior changes, and in fact, the more that people become aware, educated, and used to being sold to and marketed to, the more sophisticated they become, and so this means we cannot ignore what people expect as marketers. 

Your Marketing Message and Tech

With the rise of technology and now AI, we all need to have solutions with software, hardware and with the tools we use to best express our message clearly.

To be effective and most importantly ‘build trust’.

With the online space becoming saturated and over populated just like the real world, it becomes more and more tough to stand out.

S consumers, customers and potential buyers are beginning to place less trust in the online world, and this is because there is a great deal of deception and lies and of course scammers.

So, don’t expect tech to simply do the work for you.

What’s behind the tech is ‘the human side’ and this is what will create the trust, long term loyal customers, deeper care and continued transactions, and this means your words in your marketing efforts have to build confidence in your consumer to trust you.

Therefore, don’t forget that tech is simply a tool, like money.  We use it, and we apply it in the best ways we can.

This means that the human side has to enable us to stand out in this ever evolving space and to be seen and heard.

What are the current trends – and what does the data show?

The data and trends show us today that offline conversations and communication is growing again in popularity, and the rapport is being built deeper by connecting in real time.   

This is because of what we touched on before, people are not stupid, and they know what they want to trust.

They can see what is real versus what is fake, so when using your marketing mix, and determining what channels you will use, you need to always be mindful of ‘how you word everything’ and how that reflects on your core values and mission.

After all; if you don’t sincerely believe in what you offer, then why should anyone else!

We can use various ways to communicate how we speak as well, and this may be through webinars, adverts, video marketing and podcasts.

It means that through a variety of channels we can test and measure that impact this makes, and we can see what is creating the best results.

Speaking of the real world and building connections, I recommend attending events, networking in your city and generally spending time sharing your passion for what you do.

Especially if you are looking to build a local and ethical brand!

Why?  Because these people in your community are looking to shop locally, and to rely upon quality and standards on their high street.  If you are ignorant of this you will quickly be booted out of your community – perhaps not literally but definitely by word and reputation!

This is a very powerful thing to grasp – as the convenience for person to connect with another person by word of mouth marketing is always going to make waves in a tight knit community.

Plus its useful as it is free, but just uses up a little of your time.

If you cannot get to business events, you must at least ensure that your content is SEO rich.  This means Search Engine Optimization, and I suggest you become familiar with this term and share it with your team.

Because if your content isn’t seen, it is a waste of time and effort.

Content is so powerful because, when ‘you and I’ can use our words to advertise and promote for us, and it can be automated and stay around for many years to come.

And through positioning ourselves as experts in our niches by using this content, we can form a basis of vital trust, transparency and connection.

Things have changed in the world

I am sure you already know this if you are older than 30.

Some of which is of course obvious just by looking around us, and what has become super powerful is the use of online platforms.

People are now selling very successfully on sites such as TIKTOK, Instagram and Patreon, and so individuals and brands can become incredibly successful.

These are made through mastering our positioning on these platforms.

So meaning that, we are able to have a slice of the pie on these platforms, and it can be hugely beneficial if applied in the right ways.

Even huge corporations cannot always compete with one person that has a massive following today.

Have a think about how you could leverage some of these areas and of course social media to dominate the space you are in, and look at others to become inspired.  Study the successful types that have made this their business revenue.

As the world changes and as tech changes, we must ensure we don’t get left behind, so we must look ahead and understand what is going on.  This is no different when talking of AI.

Study AI, and get familiar with how you may use this to support your content, marketing and ideas.

Also study phrases such as ‘marketing mix’ ‘metrics’ and ‘measuring effectiveness’ as they are so fundamentally important to the likes of you I now more than ever.

Because, without knowing what’s working we don’t have a business working for us.

Lets touch on these areas now

Marketing Mix =  A framework that professional business leaders will use to ensure they are effectively marketing.  This involves various factors that can direct a business to make certain decisions and strategies.  The marketing mix consists of the product, the price of the product, the place, meaning where the customer can buy this, and promotion that offers an explanation of what the benefits and also the features are to buying this.

Metrics = Business metrics specifically which you may now as KPIS are specific measurements that help your business monitor on their overall performance by tracking results.   This means that a business can assess their progress and pinpoint what areas may need changing or tweaking to improve results.  Your team will likely manage this, and there are various metrics they will need to consider.  As an example, your marketing team will measure customers actions and performance, and your finance team will look at sales revenue, expenses and so on.

This will help your business to grasp what works versus what doesn’t work.  This way you can alter your strategic objectives and gain greater clarity around where to develop new or different processes.  You may also hire someone to monitor the teams individual performances and output.

Measuring data =  This can be achieved in a variety of ways and I recommend that you use every way:

This involves you understanding Business metrics:

What does this mean?  It means measurements that are quantifiable, and can be used in order to monitor, track and assess your business performance, through understanding the effects of your data. Every business is different, even if it is in the same sector or niche, so you will have to track the areas that most matter to your ultimate performance.

Through knowing your goals and targets you can then establish what actions you can take.

KPI’s or key performance indicators are another area you need to track. This simply refers to measuring your own progress, using your marketing plan, business plan and a strategic objectives.

These refer to your own targets, goals and objectives to reach them.  The beauty of using KPI’s means that you can pick out the top 5 or 10 representative areas of performance.  You can drill down into areas and ask what is driving this.  Even if something is working it might still have an adverse affect on something else.  And your job is to figure this out with your team.

This means you need to understand the quality of your data.  Data quality refers to measuring your data for accuracy and validity.  It has to be a complete and time based study of data in order to be thoroughly understood in a specific timeframe and as you collect data you will need to study and measure the variables from the system you use.

This is fundamental practice because the more you understand all your data the better you can operate, reach greater conclusions, and perform overall as a dynamic team.

Here is what I think is the fun part:  Comparing your data to your competition’s data and to whomever departments it can be compared to in order to determine the SWOT which enables you to understand your weaknesses and strengths.

This way you can hopefully outperform others and become the monopoly in your market, as you have identified the core drivers and subsequent actions required to be more efficient.

Get on top of it

Become a master of your brand and become a master at data management

This way you will rise above the rest.

But never forget that – you are selling to fellow human beings with feelings, and no matter what you know, you cannot afford to simply throw cold hard sales techniques at other people, and whether you have a barber shop or a tech startup, the fundamentals are the same.

People want to feel valued, cared for, appreciated and acknowledged when buying.

Remember that; Marketing is the study and management of exchange relationships. It is about people, and the business process of identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers’ needs and wants, and this always comes from UNDERSTANDING the right people.

That means knowing what they do, why they do it, and how you can be the perfect solution.

So, marketing is used to attract potential customers, and has to be done right, as it is one of the primary and vital components of business management and commerce.

Get to know Your Marketing Message inside out

Start here:

What are your core values?

What matters to you to share?

What do your ethics mean to you?

What is your plan and vision?

What is your brand message?

What is your mission?

Why are you doing what you do?

Who will really care? 

What is your marketing Mix then going to look like?

You never simply try to appeal to everyone as you will appeal to no-one.

So the point is to show off what YOU DO BEST so that you become the bridge between your offer and their desire so that you can become ‘the’ primary choice.

It is crucial to go deep and narrow and drill down into the data so you don’t waste your time and money, and get clear on how best to appeal because – 8 out of 10 businesses fail shockingly because they fail to know their data and their customer.

Don’t focus on ‘looking good’ or appearing to be the best business in the area, if you are not applying these vital components.

Are you ready?

Great! So then why will someone choose you over the next person?

By the way, you don’t have to be MUCH BETTER, or SMARTER than your competitors, no, you just need to know how to differentiate through being sophisticated and smart.

This might mean you can innovate slightly in a market that needs something fresh and exciting or come from another angle, because you understand your customer more than others.

My advice would be to study your market and go into what it really takes, and if you need help then get it, but don’t try to be good at everything.

I have done this in the past and I failed by spreading myself too thin.  So get the help.

This is not to say that you cannot be a 1 man/woman operation YOU CAN, and I am, but, I also recognized the fact that no man/woman is an island, quite the contrary. 

We are all interconnected and interdependent, so recognize that we can do it with the right types.

Connect with those experts whom you can respect, admire and learn from.

Look At What’s Out There

What are other companies doing online to attract ‘you’ regardless of sector?

Look at existing brands, companies, entrepreneurs and businesses that inspire you and make you excited.  Ask yourself ‘WHY’ they make you feel this way and ask yourself how you can STAND OUT in your own way also.

It is through mastering your craft that it gives you the ability to be seen and heard, and that will help lift your brand and expose you to the right people in the right way.

1) KNOW YOUR ROLE AND YOUR SHARED TEAM VISION, MISSION AND MESSAGE CLEARLY AND ACCURATELY

2) HAVE SIMPLICITY WITH YOUR SYSTEMS, PROCESSES AND STRUCTURE WHERE POSSIBLE

4) CARVE OUT A POWERFUL AND DIRECT SPECIFIC BRAND STORY

5) ONLY EVER SELL QUALITY STANDARD PRODUCTS THAT SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOUR ULTIMATE CUSTOMER 

6) BE YOURSELF IN YOUR APPROACH AND USE YOUR UNIQUE ANGLE TO STAND OUT

7) BE OPEN MINDED AND EXPECT AND ANTICIPATE CHANGE, FACE CHALLENGES AND LISTEN TO OTHERS OPINIONS 

8) DON’T LOSE PASSION OR FOCUS ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST YEAR AND INVEST WISELY IN THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS 

9) STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THROUGH YOUR DATA PIVOTING OR DIVERSIFICSTION  

10) AIM TO BUILD INVESTED RELATIONSHIPS NOT TRANSACTIONS 

11) SPEND TIME REFLECTING ON YOUR BRAND AND BUILDING A DEEPER CONNECTION TO THE EMOTION OF YOUR BUYERS

12) CREATE MANY SMALL BUSINESS CONNECTIONS ONLINE AND OFFLINE 

13) LIST BUILDING AND SUBSCRIBER ENGAGEMENT TO GROW YOUR LIST TO RE-SELL FURTHER TO YOUR BUYERS

14) KNOW YOUR MARKETING TOOLS SUCH AS USING AN e Book FOR EXTRA income/ exposure/ promotion/ positioning etc.

15) MASTER YOUR CONTENT PROMOTION TO GET YOUR WORDS AND NAME OUT THERE IN MANY WAYS AND FORMS

16) NEVER STOP LEARNING AND TAKE A COURSE, TRAINING OR EVENT TO NEVER STOP GROWING

17) THINK ABOUT CREATING A WEBSITE/BLOG IF RELEVANT AND ENSURE IT IS SEO PERFECT WITH BACKLINKS

18) ALWAYS FOCUS AND AIM AT BEING IN CONTROL OF YOUR PLAN, MINDSET AND PRODUCTIVITY EVERY DAY 

19) KNOW YOUR DISTINCT ROLE AND OUTSOURCE THE REST IN YOUR WEAKER AREAS

20) DEFINE WHAT FUNDING IS NEEDED AND WHETHER A LOAN IS APPROPRIATE OR WHERE FUNDING IS BEST FOUND

 
21) CONSISTENTLY MEASURE YOUR TEAM PERFORMANCE DATA AND MARKETING – AND HIRE THE BEST TO HELP MANAGE 

22) HAVE SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNT /CREDIT CARD FOR BUSINESS AND MARKETING 

23) ALWAYS SEEK TO DOMINATE AND BECOME THE MONOPOLY IN YOUR SECTOR OR MARKET AND ASK FOR FEEDBACK

24) LISTEN TO ALL OPINIONS AND IDEAS WITHOUT IMMEDIATELY JUDGING OTHERS TO TWEAK PLANS AND STRATEGIES

I hope this has been of use to you and as always wishing you the best of luck in your new enterprise.

Recommended Marketing tools and resources: 

SOLID TIP:  In a team it’s everyone’s job to grow a business, so marketing is just one aspect of this and with sales there needs to be clear communication between all these parties in an environment where ‘all’ are moving as one with the vision and selfless modern leadership.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY TO MARKETING – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

SETH GODIN BOOK CALLED PERMISSION MARKETING – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

CARDELL MEDIA BOOK DIGITAL MARKETING FOR SME’s – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

Best as always

Greg

Your Marketing Message

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