A marketing campaign can be as simple as the promotion of a product or service through a flyer inserted in a Chamber of Commerce newsletter, or a series of ads in a local newspaper. Or… it can be as comprehensive as TV or radio ads to promote your business.
1. Offer a product or service that your target market wants.
It seems obvious (doesn’t it?) that offering desirable products or services would just make sense. However, we all know about businesses that have offered products that no one was excited about. And, these businesses did not survive.
The way to find out what your target market wants is to do “market research.”
There is no substitute for the information that results from this research which does not need to be costly. If the need for your product or service is not obvious, you will spend a large percent of your marketing budget attempting to convince your potential customers of the imperceptible need for what you are selling.
2. Craft an attention-getting and compelling message that distinguishes you from your competition.
We all experience an endless barrage of ad messages every day, and we’ve learned to turn it off unless something is compelling enough to capture our attention. Your message is one of thousands that will hit your target market. You must have a message that is clear, persuasive, and credible enough to get attention.
3. Identify a way to find those who want what you offer.
To survive, you must have a way to find those who want your product or service. Match your message to those who will be hearing / seeing / reading it. When you review your list of qualified prospects, you can then determine what media to use to reach them. For instance, if your product or service is aimed at senior citizens, your TV ad won’t be seen on the Disney Channel.
4. Make sure your marketing is cost effective and measure your results.
There are many delivery mechanisms for marketing your product or service including: direct mail, radio and TV ads, newspaper ads, seminars, bulletin boards, signs, etc. Whichever media you choose, ensure that your targeted market will be reached. Measure your results. If you don’t measure, you won’t know where to adjust your marketing campaign. Marketing isn’t rocket science but it does take uncommon, common sense.
Have questions about your marketing campaign? Leave them below and I promise to respond.
Lorraine,
I love your #1. I know so many solopreneurs who spend hours, days, weeks and months developing a product or service . . . only to discover there’s no demand for it.