Catering to Beginners, Enthusiasts and Geeks

Written by Marcia Yudkin


Recently I had occasion to review several dozen Web sites in one industry -- camera stores. I found this eye-opening, as an unfortunate pattern emerged that I believe holds true not only onrepparttar Internet but also in paper-based marketing materials, and applies to many professions. First, some background.

Most of us, particularly those who regularly deal with a wide swath ofrepparttar 121250 public, know how to adjust our conversation according torepparttar 121251 experience level of our audience. If someone asks to see a particular camera, a retailer explains it differently, depending on whetherrepparttar 121252 person seems to know as much as he does about cameras, or next to nothing. An oncologist explainsrepparttar 121253 same case of cancer differently torepparttar 121254 patient than torepparttar 121255 patient's doctor.

On paper and onrepparttar 121256 Web, however, we tend to orient our promotional material to just one kind of audience and only one level of sophistication. If we do this strategically, great. If we make a conscious choice to target one audience rather than another, becauserepparttar 121257 former accounts for higher profits, terrific. But that's not what I saw atrepparttar 121258 camera store sites.

For beginners, people who don't know much about a product or service, it's a huge mistake to lead with detailed product information. Too much "APS 505 AiAF f/2.8 2x" overwhelms when I'm wondering whether a digital, 35mm or disposable point-and-shoot camera would fit my needs.

Beginners need helpful guidance that takes their goal asrepparttar 121259 starting point. Questions and answers and products recommended for specific purposes may work best for this audience so long asrepparttar 121260 descriptions use laypersons' vocabulary.

DDT: Do, Don't Think. Just market

Written by Angela Booth


*Article Use Guidelines*

Use in opt-in publications, or on Web sites, but please includerepparttar resource box.

Please send me a copy, if possible. Many thanks.

**

Summary: Your marketing supports your business. Stop marketing, and your business bleeds to death. it doesn't matter what marketing you do, just market.

Total words: 750

Category: Small Business

DDT: Do, Don't Think. Just market

Copyright (c) 2002 by Angela Booth

You see funny things when you're walking your dog. A couple of summers ago, late every Sunday afternoon, I'd be out walking my dog and I'd look up to see a sky-writer.

Puffs and streaks of white smoke against a blue sky spelled outrepparttar 121249 name of a local telecommunications company. Every Sunday, for months.

I wondered what it was costing them, and whether they were getting results.

Guess not. That winter,repparttar 121250 telecom went bust in spectacular fashion.

Sky-writing's one way to market your business, but what'srepparttar 121251 best way? The short answer is that there's no best way. Nothing works allrepparttar 121252 time. Some things work sometimes. Many things work most times. Constant marketing works allrepparttar 121253 time.

So here are my two rules of marketing:

* it doesn't matter what you do, just do some marketing every day; and

* watch your mental images, because your images control your emotions, and your emotions determine how much energy you'll put into marketing.

=> It doesn't matter how you market

That's a lie. It does matter. If your marketing efforts consist of expensive advertising and gimmicks like sky-writing, you'd better have deep pockets.

Ideally, you'll use a mix of paid and free (except for your time, which is in no way free) marketing tools.

I'm not going to give you a long list of marketing tools. You can use everything from sky-writing to sticking magnetic letters onto your car.

(Check outrepparttar 121254 Marketing Diary in each week's issue of Creative Small Biz, to see what I'm doing --- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Creative_Small_Biz/ )

What's important is that you put major time into marketing each day. This is becauserepparttar 121255 results of your marketing take time to kick in.

Let's say that you start by sending out a couple of hundred direct mail letters each week. You combine that with making 30 telemarketing calls to businesses each day.

You're dogged about this. You don't think about it too much, you just go ahead and do it, because you want your business to be a success, and it is a business, it's not a hobby.

You plod on. Your business builds. You add more marketing tools. A small ad inrepparttar 121256 classifieds section of your daily paper. You write a talk, full of information for other business owners. You call local business groups and give your free talk. You network at these gatherings: you make friends, and hand out business cards.

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