10 Commandments of Marketing
The following 10 commandments of marketing if followed, will ensure your marketing is targets your ideal client or customer to get you results.
Commandment 1
Give people exactly what they want. Not what you want. How many times have you been to an electronic store and a sale guy says “Hey, did you see this? It flies and shoots water and also comes produces it’s own solar power at night!”
Now you’re thinking “All I want is a new case for my smartphone”. There’s a huge disconnect between what you want and what he wants to sell you.
Some marketers create amazing products yet get stuck in a trap where they forget to research what the market thinks and feels and their product flops with zero sales to show for their effort.
Lesson, here is to find your audience and clients first. Who is buying what and from whom? Why? And at what price? Can you charge more by adding more value? Only when you’ve narrowed these answers down is it safe to create a product and brand around their needs and wants.
Commandment 2
Find your market. It’s the perfect time to find your market today. With Facebook ever evolving, you can reach just about any type of person you desire to potentially buy your service or products.
The people in your marketplace will require unique approach. Your message to CEOs will be different to stay at home dads. Right?
With a clear idea of what they think, do and say about your industry as well as what they read, watch and listen too you’ll be able reach them with greater ease.
Commandment 3
Sell for the largest margins possible. No matter what you offer, if the margins stink, business will too. If you’re constantly fighting to be the “lowest in town” you’ll soon force yourself “out of town”.
When people ask “Zane why do you charge more than the others?” The fact is I don’t compete on price, it’s impossible, and clients happily pay me base on the results and value they receive. And at the end of the day they matter more to me and what price-hunters think.
If you’re currently the “lowest in town” I’d highly reconsider your branding. Sure, this strategy works like Ghostbusters for Walmart, however nothing lasts forever. What happened to Woolworth and Kmart?
Commandment 4
Understand what marketing is and isn’t.
At a recent talk I did at the Sarasota Military Academy a high school student and budding entrepreneur Dave asked “Zane what’s the difference between marketing and sales?”
I love this question because it shows he’s thinking and once you understand, a world opens to you.
Sales are the transactions rewarded to the seller based on the quality of the marketer’s understanding of the marketplace and product(s).
When you know how to move your clients to invest in your services with effective communication, they will flock to you.
It’s vital that you spend quite a bit of time to construct lists of what they want, need, feel, think, believe, disbelieve, etc. in order to win their trust and build a real relationship.
Once you’ve constructed this framework, you replicate this on a larger and larger scale, while keeping an eye out for warning signals that indicate the market may change.
Commandment 5
Quick, quick, fast, fast!! She with speed wins the race. When you’re selling a product where there’s “competition”, this should go without saying… you want to do your research as fast as possible.
Look for new ways to market your services in areas that maybe new for your company. Once you’ve done the homework, quickly test your ads and email campaigns and analyze the results!
I feel excited just writing about this because I know that she with speed, knowledge and understanding WINS.
If you’re working on marketing your company’s service and you’re waiting for more information, STOP everything… and explore for untapped markets. Get in front of them and stay on their radar!
You’ll never know if your marketing or research is on target until you test your ads and review the open rates for your follow up email sequence. Use the results to refine your next campaign.
Commandment 6
Sell, up-sell and resell. The fact is if you’re not selling, your business is doomed. Obviously if you’re not gaining new prospects, making new deals, you’re not in business.
Here’s a quick story. The first business I created was an organic t-shirt company. It’s not worth mentioning the name…
I knew very little about marketing, I just loved organic t-shirts and metaphysics and then combined the two. Sounds good, right? Maybe.
I created a website, printed business cards and told a few friends and family members about it. All was well, I was “a business man, an entrepreneur” as I allowed my ego to roam throughout Sarasota without a care. Typical behavior for newbies…
I wasn’t “in business” I hadn’t sold ONE shirt yet. When I did, I didn’t realize the importance of utilizing an automatic up-sell. Don’t get me started on email marketing and following up… I had no clue!
It’s funny now, but at the time I was crushed. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t making sales.
There were several reasons, but the main point is that you have to know how to get that sale (preferably on auto-pilot) and then quickly up-sell them with more of your amazing service, perhaps a VIP coaching program, with brilliant follow up to increase and sustain engagement.
Commandment 7
Bond, bond, bond, and then bond more. Not the kind of bonds you’re thinking of. The type that make you smile when you see an old friend. Now think of that rude guy you had to deal with recently or in school… how do you feel? Completely different, yes?
That emotion plays the same role when we purchase or decide not to purchase a product.
For instance I love kombucha, you know the fermented probiotic beverage that aids digestion and balances your pH? If two days goes by without me savoring my favorite brew, I get quite unruly.
Two companies have won the battle to my heart and when I travel I diligently scour stores to grab a bottle. The bond between us is that strong. What about you?
What does your message say to your clients? Do your clients feel that you treat them exceptionally well? Do you go out of your way to establish a deep connection with each one?
The best way to do this is to create a compelling story about yourself as it relates to your company. This journey will establish a firm link between you both. You know mine, if not, here’s a recap.
My mother left my dad when I turned 4 months old, we lived in about 8 states before I turned 8 years old. Because my mother dealt with mental health issues, she did the best she could yet wasn’t home to raise my sister and me.
I struggled with reading, especially when it was time to read aloud because I feared making mistakes. I quickly learned that I excelled in writing. I could communicate powerfully and help others in the process with my charming style (or so they say).
When I learned that I could combine writing with selling products and help entrepreneurs and companies do the same, I was hooked!!
I quickly learned everything I could get my hands on. I struggled a lot for 4 months straight. I would place a Google Ad and have zero results, I’d try again… get 4 or 5 leads, none of whom bought anything. Sound familiar?
I didn’t know what I was doing so I couldn’t convert those leads into sales. The day came when I was FED UP! “Enough of spending 18 hour days trying to figure it out” That first year over $12K was invested in learning from industry leaders and giants who choose to elevate my skills.
I implemented everything they said… and it happened… results! People were buying my products… success! I could sleep at night without murmuring on about conversions and click through rates, which put my wife at ease.
Now that I have a solid grasp of online marketing and copywriting, I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with Sarasota’s top business leaders and investors.
There you have it, the short version. You get the idea, creating a bond with your clients is the key.
Commandment 8
Indicate your unique position in the marketplace. If you’re reading this, you’re likely an entrepreneur or investor who seeks marketing advise and most likely want to hire me as your online marketing strategist. 9 times out of 10 you have a solid grasp of how your company differs from others.
How can you push the envelope further? Think of 3 ways you can make your brand more memorable, and 3 ways to increase its desirability then integrate that them into your story.
With whose story are you most familiar from the list of people you choose to do business? Why are you attracted to their story? Were they referred to you by a neighbor or colleague? Or perhaps an attention grabbing ad popped up on YouTube with a powerfully crafted story with an irresistible offer?
They are still in your life because of the way their personal or company’s story resonates with you. I tend to do business with companies that are inline with my values. If it’s an insect company, they must use non-toxic ingredients. We purchase mostly organic produce and patron local companies that make a difference in our community.
These things matters to my wife and me, which means you’re probably the same way. Right?
Hey if you’ve gotten this far, you’re awesome, congrats! Glad you’re still with me, number 10 is near.
Commandment 9
Control the selling process. From start to finish you want to be in control. If you’re sitting and waiting for clients to come through the door, create a marketing strategy to bring clients in on a regular bases.
An example of passive selling is if you’re a shoe store on 5th Ave with an open sign in the window. Yes, people know your store is there and when they walk by your sign is visible to them, however you’re at the will of the customer.
An offensive play would be to send out weekly mailers to the zip codes of your ideal clients and include Facebook ads for the same audience. As a bonus… if you notice that the majority of your clients listen to the same local radio station or podcast, purchase regular airtime.
Commandment 10
Alright, you’ve made it! There’s a system for selling, which most online marketers don’t even realize… I didn’t at first. If you get this and use it wisely, you’ll be way ahead of the game. The system Problem, Agitate, Solution or P.A.S.
If you are a seasoned salesperson, you understand this concept too either because you were trained well or at in the past reached a breaking point and sought answers… as I did.
When you introduce a problem to your ideal clients then massage that problem with a pinch of fine sea-salt before you offer your solution, magic happens. Don’t believe me?
Closely examine the next ad you see… it will contain a combination of this formula. “Zane, surely a Disneyland commercial won’t have this…” you say? Not so fast, friend. Look again and let me know where you see P.A.S. in action.
It’s everywhere. How can you incorporate this into your next marketing campaign?
I’ve enjoyed sharing these commandments with you and look forward to your feedback. The inspiration for writing this article came from a mentor of mine T.J. Rohleder.
Reply below with your questions on the above marketing principals or contact me directly.
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