Marketing: First Things First

Before you make any more decisions about where to advertise, what sale or promotion to run, what to say on your website, or how to get involved in social media, you MUST stop what you are doing and be able to answer this question in less than 15 seconds:

What makes your business different than your competitors? i.e. Why would your potential customers choose you over the next guy?

The answer to this question must be simple, concise, and something that your customers care about. It is the core of all of your marketing/advertising decisions, and you must be able to communicate this with crystal clear focus. It must be different than what your competitors are saying. “ME TOO” does not work here. ”We have great customer service” does not work well here either – everyone who has a business that services customers better have excellent customer service, and it sounds generic.

Are you the dentist who creates a spa environment to ease anxiety? The lawyer who charges by the service instead of by the hour? Career education center who can get you in a new career in 3 weeks? Social media expert who makes technology easy to understand? Shoe brand that is built for exploring urban landscapes?

Don’t over think it, it is probably something that you already do and do well. Talking to your customers can help you figure out why they choose you (beware though, customers can be generic – “You have such great customer service!”). Figure it out, and build your business around it.

Kaye Putnam

Kaye  is the 5 Star Radio Group Marketing & Event Coordinator. She has a passion for marketing, and helping businesses integrate traditional media with new media. She enjoys working alongside all of the Marketing Consultants to execute our client’s campaigns.

Connect with her on twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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