This is the first of a series of Web Marketing Tips that I'll be posting here. To get us started, let's work through the basic question: "What is marketing?"

Based on a panel discussion I was involved in a couple of months ago, here's what one panel member said:

"Marketing is fluff. It's all just smoke and mirrors."

Now, if that happens to be your mindset and you are the business owner or sales person for a company responsible for generating sales, I'd like to suggest that this type of thinking is poisonous for your overall success.

Why?

Because if you think of marketing in this way, it will bleed into your language, whether written or verbal. So what is the other possibility?

Well, to be successful with your marketing, you have to think through and pay attention to three interrelated issues.

1. the first is your audience
   
2. the second is your message
   
3. the third is how you are going to communicate that message.

Your Audience

As far as your audience is concerned, these are the people that fit your "ideal client" profile. This isn't rocket science. Just think of the clients/customers/patients you have that are great to work with and that bring in the most revenue for your business.

You want to replicate success. And that means finding more people like them. How do you do that?

By crafting messages that communicate the value of your services to them, to your potential customer, client or patient. Thinking this through is going to help you to craft a message that will generate results.

And it will pay huge dividends for you down the road.

Your Message

The essence of your marketing message should be focused on the value you provide, that your goods and services provide to your target audience.

It's all about value.

You need to communicate the value that you provide in terms of your customers. You have to speak THEIR language, communicate to them on THEIR terms.

Period.

This is the only way to get your potential customers to understand why they should choose your services vs. those of your competitors.

Marketing Medium/Media

Much too often business owners start here. They'll say to me...

"I gotta generate more leads. Let's do a radio spot. How about yada yada yada..."

The problem?

They are focused on HOW to reach people, but not on WHAT they are going to say to them. It's like going to a party, breaking into each group of people chatting, interrupting them, and then when you have their attention for a brief moment babbling nonsensically to them.

Ouch!

The third aspect is the medium; how you're going to communicate that message. Will you communicate by

• A sales call?
  
• Direct response marketing, using a sales letter or postcards? letters?
  
• Online lead generation using Pay Per Click? SEO?
• Radio?
• Newspaper Ad?
• A flyer?
• Attending a business seminar or networking event?
• A tradeshow?
• Guerilla Marketing?
  

Understanding ALL three of these elements and how they work together will ensure that you have successful marketing campaigns.

Questions? Comments? Kindly share your thoughts here. You can also visit our web marketing firm website by following the link.

If you'd like to learn more about pay per click campaign management, you can follow the link and look under the "Web Marketing Services" tab.