“How and when will this generate sales?” That’s what entrepreneurs typically ask themselves when investing in marketing. “And that is the completely WRONG question to ask,” says marketing expert David Newman. In his new book, DO IT! MARKETING (AMACOM; June 20, 2013), Newman reveals the right questions to ask, right away, for marketing a small business with a big impact – both online and off. It all builds on these four fundamental insights:
Insight #1: You need to sell the same way that you buy. When was the last time you snapped up an offer from spam e-mail? When’s the last time you gave your credit card number over to a cold caller who interrupted your dinner? As a customer, you don’t buy from any company based on its spam, cold calls, postcards, or text pitches. So, why do you expect any customer—let alone, lots of eager customers—to buy based on yours? The right question to ask, in Newman’s book: What value have I added to my prospect’s world in order to earn the right to invite them to a conversation and offer my solution to their problems, headaches, heartaches, and challenges?
Insight #2: Referrals rock, but they’re not everything. “I don’t need to do any marketing because 99 percent of my business is repeat and referral business.” Maybe that’s what you tell yourself. Do you seriously think that referrals don’t check you out online before picking up the phone? What messages are you sending to valued referrals with an outdated website and abandoned Twitter account? The right questions to ask, in Newman’s book: Does my overall online presence reassure and reinforce the referrals I earn? Does it contain the most current, credible, and relevant positioning, content, and resources to make my advocates look better—not worse—for referring me? (more…)