What Successful Marketers Do Differently?

Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently! This age old saying holds as true for your small business as it does for people in personal lives. And it is equally true for marketing techniques applied to promote businesses. There are but a few ways – basic ones – to market your products, but the trick is to apply the ones that appeal to people, entice them to you and make them want to come to you over and over.

Here, we look into what is it that successful marketers do:

Consistency is the name of the game

Customers will come to you if they are guaranteed a good experience – over and over. If they have had both good and bad memories of you, then they are eight times more probable to remember the bad ones than the good ones. So set the right expectations and work hard to meet them time and again.

Get out of your comfort zone

If you have not done something before, it does not mean it will not work now. This is especially true if you are running an inherited business and carry an opinion passed to you. Our parents did not see things like Google Adwords or Facebook or digital marketing. But you know their importance today, and every successful business has an element of internet in it. So, always be open to new ideas and take every feedback constructively. Doing the very thing that you are afraid of is usually the key to your own phenomenal personal growth and business success.

Time is of the essence

Clients often want to check rates and alternative products before they buy something. But they expect the actual purchase process to be short – they are already tired after those countless hours of shopping and they just want to be done with it. So make sure you complete the process quickly – it also helps you to attend more people in a short period. Under commit and over deliver! It will make a great impression if you make a delivery promised for weekend on a Friday afternoon – and it gives you two extra days if something goes wrong.

Differentiate yourself

This is quite easy to do if you talk to people, but difficult to imagine yourself. In many cases, your clients will be able to tell you why exactly they buy from you, how they found you, what has been their experience with you. Set expectations with your customers before you ask and tell them why you are doing this. Another way to do this is to have a look at what your competitors are doing – you can exploit their strengths and weaknesses. You need to be unique!  Being different is one of the biggest attributes of successful marketers.

Stay ahead of the curve

Always be on the lookout for the next big thing. For this, you should read media articles and keep in the loop with everything that is going on. If you are in the retail business, see if a company is looking to pilot a new product in your area because your customers will get to try it before somebody else does. If you sell electrical equipment, try to sell solar energy products because they will reduce electricity bills.

Bundle your offerings

McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Domino’s – they all do it. They bundle their core product – burgers, pizza – with a smaller offering (fries and garlic bread) that enhances the former’s value without burning a hole in the customer’s pocket. If you sell a product, you can sell additional warranty or an annual maintenance offering. Even a free installation or couple of complimentary equipment checks can be provided.

An About Us page is important

Ideally, you should have an about me or about us page on your website which tells people about you/your business, your vision, you motto and why they should be buying from you. Key words in the page could be highlighted so they will know all about you even at a glance. Even better, shoot a video with this information for additional engagement and to build a stronger connection with your audience.

Spread the word about you

This is different from advertising. To spread the word about you, very little extra effort is needed. You can write a blog post advising people about the product you sell – e.g. “5 things before you buy that heater this winter” or “why you need a maintenance contract”. In this manner, people will think of you when they need you, and that is likely to drive them to you.  Always look to provide value and try not to pitch your products as this is a turn-off to most people.

Define your target market

You have been running this business for such a long time, but have you ever thought of who you really want to serve? So far, you have served anybody who pays. But that means you cannot differentiate from the other business down the street. Clients always want to work with someone who they trust, and this trust will only come if you specialize in a certain and defined set of customer requirements. This will need experience, but you will have to make a conscious effort to build it. Besides, what works with set of people may or may work with others. But, what did not work will more than likely not work with others too.

Be honest

If you cannot do something, be honest and tell it straight to your customer. That is not to say you should miss a good opportunity because you have not done something before. However, telling the client that you have not done this but will take X, Y and Z necessary steps to get it done will win you their trust. That trust is more significant than anything else! People respect honesty and besides, an honest approach to business lets you sleep at night and is good for the soul.

Are you adopting the habits of successful marketers?