The 5Cs of Marketing and Selling

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

• Do you have a great idea for a business but haven’t launched it yet?
• Do you feel you don’t know enough about marketing or selling?
• Have you started a business but it hasn’t grown as you hoped?

You’re in good company.  Everywhere you turn people  are starting businesses leaving behind the corporate world, affording them the opportunity to enjoy greater freedom and more time to share with the people they truly care about.

I’ve coached over 1,500 aspiring entrepreneurs and many mistakenly believe if they align themselves with a product or service of high quality it will sell itself.  Not true. We live in a world of skeptics.  If you forget to focus on marketing and selling you don’t have a business – you have an expensive hobby.

There are many ways new business owners can spend money on marketing with no guarantee of results.  Getting expert guidance from someone who has cracked the code can greatly improve your chances for success.  Entrepreneurs want hands-on, step-by-step information that makes your life simple without putting demands on your time.

One of the many marketing ideas I help attendees discover in my workshops is “The Five C’s of Marketing”.  They include:

• Love Your Customer
• Be Clear
• Use emotionally Compelling marketing
  
• Be Congruent
• Avoid Confusion

Love Your Customer

This means more than great customer service.  Most people are so caught up in their product or service, they never determine who their ideal customer is.  They waste time trying to attract everyone, educating skeptics who will never buy, rather than focus on individuals who are perfect for you.

When I ask, “What makes your customer or client tick?” they are at a loss for words.  Their energy is going into learning about the product and not their customer.

It’s easy to get caught up in the passion of a product, process or idea.  There is no risk or rejection.   Determine what you do and who you do it for takes vision and love.

Be Clear

Create a succinct, passionate message.  Many people call this “an elevator speech.”  If you were on an elevator and noticed the one person who could boost your business, what would you say?  If you can’t sum up who you are and what you do in thirty seconds, you’re unclear.  Figure it out and offer it how they want to receive it.  Clarity will help you attract more ideal customers.

Use Emotionally Compelling Marketing

Your experience of how you overcame obstacles with your product of service can be compelling.  People see themselves in your story and think, “Wow!  If it worked for her it could work for me.”  Marketing should make people say, “I gotta have that.”  It tells a story of how you or others solved a problem in an emotionally compelling way.

Take a fresh, new look at your customers and the problems your product or service solves as well as the benefits you offer.  Create an exciting marketing message that will build cash flow.  This is what I help people do.

Be Congruent

Being congruent means more than just walking your talk.  People sense when the smallest nuance is out of place.  You may not even be aware of it, but nothing flows because you’re trying to attract the wrong people.  This creates a disconnect between you and potential customers.  Get your marketing message flowing in a congruent, clear direction towards the people who are ideal and it will become easy.

Avoid Confusion Resulting in “No”

A confused mind always says, “no.”  If your message is confusing people will say “no.”  You could have exactly what they need but if they don’t understand how it solves their problem the answer will still be “no.”  Read through every word.  Look at every message you’re putting out whether it’s verbal or non-verbal and look for little things that might confuse your ideal customer and either change them or eliminate them.

Carpenters often say “measure twice and cut once.”  In a way, marketing is like that.  When you take time to figure out who your ideal customer is and how your product or service is right for them you will have cracked the code that will lead to greater success and more freedom and fun in your life.

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This article was written by Denise Michaels.  If you’d like to use it for your blog, ezine, website or another purpose please contact Denise at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com or on Facebook for permission.  You are not permitted to reproduce or re-use this article in any way without permission of the author.  Remember, Karma is real. Ask first.

Would you like an article written for you or your business? Contact Denise Michaels to discuss your needs at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com

 

Are You Focused or Fuzzy?

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Markeitng”

How’s your focus these days?  Lately, many people seem scattered and overwhelmed.  They’re running in circles and we all know that can be counter-productive  Try to have a conversation with them and their eyes dart off in different directions.

I met a couple people like this at a networking luncheon last week. They’re supposed to be building relationships but their texting on their cell phones.  Schedule a meeting and they’re apt to goof up the time at least once.

It’s easy to blame it on the economy.  It takes more effort to find people who want, need and are willing to pay for your products and services.  I was just talking with an old friend who told me about a famous seminar guru planning on 800 people for an event in Atlanta and 45 people showed up.

Yes, there plenty of distractions.  It’s crazy-making having  four email addresses, checking Facebook, Twitter, my blogs, cell phone messages and land line messages. All stuff that’s not the highest and best use of my time.  However, I believe the fastest, best solutions to our “busyness” are not factors outside us – but factors within.  After all, you can’t control much of what happens outside – you can only control how you respond to it all.

We choose our lives and how we spend our time.  You may not think it’s true but it is.  Somewhere along the way you made choices.  You may not have understood the consequences – but you made ‘em and here you are.  It’s possible you don’t want to stay on the same path, so your mind throws up obstacles like, “I’m so busy.  I just can’t get to the important stuff.”  Maybe it’s because you don’t want to get to the important stuff.

Take time to quiet down and slow down.  I was forced to do this recently when I caught a cold.  As much as I wanted to get up and do more – I secretly relished the time to take it easy.  Imagine that? A positive attitude about a cold.

Take time to quietly think about what matters.  Ask if what you’re doing is in alignment with your values.  In other words – if you have a goal to make a big, six figure income yet part of your core values is you don’t believe you deserve money – or you believe money is the root of all evil – well, that’s a problem.

If your goals and core values aren’t in alignment – you’ll be stressed out.  It’ll be like Sisyphus pushing that boulder uphill forever.  Not much fun.  When you get your life in alignment you will feel more focused and less fuzzy.  If a core value isn’t working out for you – it’s time to shift.

When you create a life in alignment with your core values – it’s an easier path.  Everyone is happier and what’s important will come into sharp focus.

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This article was written by Denise Michaels.  If you’d like to use it for your blog, ezine, website or another purpose please contact Denise at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com or on Facebook for permission.  You are not permitted to reproduce or re-use this article in any way without permission of the author.  Remember, Karma is real. Ask first.

Would you like an article written for you or your business? Contact Denise Michaels to discuss your needs at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com

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Top 10 Marketing Tips for Home-Based Business Owners

By Denise M. Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

1.         Know Your Market

Many entrepreneurs have no clue who their customers are and why they buy.  If you say, “Everyone is my customer,” unfortunately no one will.  The more specific you are about knowing the kind person who buys your products or services – the more you can zero in on creating an ideal marketing message that will make people take notice.

2.         Create Your Product or Service Around Their Needs

Some people develop a great product but they never determine what needs it fills and what problem their product solves.  They talk about features and gizmos no one cares about.  That’s an expensive mistake.  Become an excellent problem-solvers.  Find out what problems are out there.  Not the other way around.  A mentor can help you.

3.         Offer Real Value

Ask, “Would you buy it?” Make it a value too good to pass up.  Don’t undercut yourself.  You deserve to cover your costs and make a fair profit.  If people aren’t biting, don’t assume the price is too high.  Instead assume you’re communicating value.  Lowering prices can backfire.  People truly believe that you get what you pay for.

4.         Be Passionate

Your enthusiasm and problem-solving skills can make a big difference.  Passion is one of the best marketing secrets.  Also, chances are what you offer is something you’ll talk about for a long time.  Be passionate first about serving customers in your marketing message.  A mentor can help you pull together a compelling, passionate message.

5.         Love Your Customer Not Your Product

It’s easy to love your product.  However, your product can’t love you back.  It also can’t reject you the way you may feel customers can.  Many people are acutely sensitive to rejection.  Ask questions.  Discover everything you can about potential customers.  Marketing should be less about your process – and more about benefits. Let your care for customers reflect in your marketing.

6.         Don’t Rely on Word-of-Mouth Advertising

When I ask new entrepreneurs how they plan to market they frequently reply, “word-of-mouth.”  It’s a strong form of “advertising”, but you can starve waiting for it to kick in.  There are inexpensive options for home-based business owners to get the word out.  Create joint ventures, network online, get articles online. Do something!

7.         Build a Clear Marketing Message

A confused mind always says, “no.”  Create a marketing message, then ask people to read it to see if it’s clear.  Listen with an open mind.  If they have to ask questions, your message is unclear and fuzzy.  Nothing says amateur, unprofessional and ineffective marketing quite like a message that creates confusion rather than clarity.

8.         Make Cause and Effect Links

Don’t just tell them about features.  Tell them how it will make their life better.  These are benefits and they’re crucial to your business success. People are busy and often don’t make the connection between features and benefits.  Many people tend to hint and hope.  If you explain how your product or service will improve their life, who will?

9.         Create Joint Venture Partners

Team up with people who have something you want.  Look for ways that you can help each other building both your businesses.  Look for joint venture partners that are complimentary, not competitive.  Capitalize on your ability to build great relationships.  You can help customers by pointing them to people who have what you don’t offer.

10.       Test, Test, and Test some More

Find out in a small way if people will nibble at your idea before you spend a lot of time or money on it.   Talk up your idea.  Many people will give you surprisingly good input.  Gauge their reactions.  Post clues about your idea on a message board in an appropriate way with people who you think might be your customers.  Ask, ask, ask and then listen openly.

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This article was written by Denise Michaels.  If you’d like to use it for your blog, ezine, website or another purpose please contact Denise at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com or on Facebook for permission.  You are not permitted to reproduce or re-use this article in any way without permission of the author.  Remember, Karma is real. Ask first.

Would you like an article written for you or your business? Contact Denise Michaels to discuss your needs at MentoringwithDenise@hotmail.com

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