To truly engage customers for whom traditional advertising (push marketing) is increasingly irrelevant, companies must engage with customers in a new way. At the end of the day, customers no longer separate marketing from the product—it is the product. They don’t separate marketing from their in-store or online experience—it is the experience. In the era of engagement, marketing is the company – and if you run your company, then YOU are marketing!
If you are running a business in which you are essentially selling yourself as the primary provider of your service offering, then what I am about to tell you is one of the essential secrets to growing a successful business.
Market your business from the inside out.
By becoming crystal clear about your ‘why’ – what drives you to do what you love – and by speaking passionately to the world about what you believe – you will be marketing from the inside out.
These are my 5 secrets to marketing from the inside out:
- Know thyself. It’s easier to lead with your passion when you understand your purpose. Passion is contagious. People will be attracted to you (and your business) if they believe what you believe.
- Create connections. Understand your audience. Get to know your ideal customers as well as you know your best friend, spouse or partner. Knowing what their deepest pains and challenges are will help you communicate with them in a way that builds relationships, trust and respect. People buy from people they trust, not companies.
- Be authentically you. Learn how to step-up and standout. Position yourself as the subject matter expert – the ‘go-to’ person – by building your reputation based on your values. Create thought leadership based on your expertise, use your content of ideas to create stories based on your uniqueness and inspire others to act (or react).
- Walk the talk. Create 30-60-90 day action plans that you actually implement in order to create awareness, attract attention and engage with potential customers, loyal followers and brand evangelists in your marketplace. Your business vision is your guiding light (your big picture goal), implement the tactics most suitable to best reach your audience, to successfully and efficiently reach your goal.
- Stay the course. Know that there are no ‘coles notes’ for marketing your unique business. Remember that building relationships and creating connections takes time and perseverance. As an entrepreneur it is in your best interest to implement your marketing actions and track progress, knowing that you will make mistakes along the way and you will learn from them. Don’t self-judge, be kind to yourself and try, try again.
“We are all marketers, whether we know it (accept it) or not.”