Marketing strategy always changes as technology evolves. But the underlying principles remain firm, grounded in consumer psychology. These 10 Entrepreneurs Share Their #1 Immutable Marketing Rule.
Related: 5 tips for running a successful business
1. Attract attention.
You've probably seen the statistics that the average attention span is less than a goldfish due to the evolution of today's digital world. Whether the statistic is true or not, it is imperative that your marketing captures the attention of customers. Here's how:
To tease. Grab people's attention by highlighting an issue they are facing.
Please. Illustrate benefits and solutions using magic transformations, testimonials and multi-functionality where possible. Testimonials are essential. In today's world, peer-to-peer information strongly influences users' purchasing decisions.
To cease. Give people an irresistible offer they can't refuse.
– Kevin Harrington , infomercial inventor, “As Seen On TV” industry pioneer, and original Shark on Shark tankwith a net worth of $450 million
2. Speak their language.
Learn to speak in the language people understand, not your preferred medium. I've created a "PASE" system to categorize people's preferred thought, speech, and understanding into four domains:practical, action, social, and emotional.
Speak slowly and logically without hype to practical people; they just want the basics.
You can be a bit more aggressive and loud with Action people as they like to be motivated and pushed.
Social people like casual friendly conversation without too much pressure; over time, if they like you, they will do business with you.
With emotional people, be careful not to push them too hard. Use phrases like “How are you feeling?” You don't need that much logic and certainly shouldn't be aggressive.
– Tai Lopez , an investor and advisor to numerous multimillion-dollar companies, has built an eight-figure online empire; connect with Tai on Facebook or Snapchat
3. Be relevant.
Most marketing is about pushing people. You'll become more relevant by meeting prospects in their current mindset:they're either on the sidewalk (just getting to know you), in the slow lane (track your work), or in the fast lane (ready to buy). Step into the shoes of each type of prospect and ask yourself:
How can I add value to each type of lead?
How can I invest them more in my offer?
How can I turn them into paying customers?
Then, tailor your marketing experience so they're confident no one else is better qualified to solve their problem.
– Scott Oldford , founder of INFINITUS ; helps six-figure businesses reach seven figures with online marketing
4. Create products you love.
My company does not conduct market analysis, focus groups or in-depth research rather my personal desires and frustrations have driven every product we have ever made. For example, I love my Big Ass Tuna Salad, but I cringe every time I have to apply commercial mayonnaise made from refined vegetable oils like canola. (This was the impetus for the creation of our Primal Kitchen mayonnaises and dressings.)
We prioritize designing an exceptional product, then aspire to create a market by explaining its health benefits. For example, detailing the antioxidant and immune-boosting benefits of avocado oil (the base of our mayonnaise and salad dressings) versus the health risks of consuming traditional products containing highly polyunsaturated refined vegetable oils.
– Mark Sisson , founder of Master Plan , bestselling author of Primaland Editor's New Blueprint MarksDailyApple.com , the most visited blog in the world on paleo, primary and ancestral health
5. Educate.
Education-based marketing is our #1 marketing rule:It wins, time and time again. Focus your attention on adding tremendous value to your network, not trying to “sell” them. Be 100% focused on solving problems for your potential customers. Lead the problem, meet your prospect in their pain, and present your solutions to close the gap between where they are today and where they want to be tomorrow.
– Brian Klock , founder and COO of Creator of financial freedom ; connect with Brian on Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter
6. Enjoy beauty.
Stand out, get noticed, become the talk of the office water cooler – I know why so many people turn to their marketing efforts to serve as a miracle. The truth is, in today's crowded world (online and offline), it's just too expensive for that to happen. Instead, focus on demand generation marketing – giveaways and quality blog content, for example – to drive customer interest in your products and services over the long term.
—Tom Ferry, Founder and CEO of Tom Ferry International , ranked #1 in real estate by the Swanepoel Power 200, and New York Timesbestselling author of The life! Intentionally
7. Give people what they want.
Content is still king. We have moved from delivering keyword-rich content for rankings to intent-based content. We leverage customer questions and FAQ information to create content for questions people ask rather than just trying to rank for keywords. Giving people what they want allows us to keep our edge no matter how fast things change.
– Gary Nealon , president of Nealon Solutions and The Rox Group; five consecutive years on the Inc.5000
8. Be social.
Have your finger on the pulse of what your audience is doing; mine are all on social media. With nearly a million followers, I can't imagine running my businesses without Instagram or Snapchat. Even if Snapchat and Instagram die out, there will be another platform to take its place in marketing directly to your consumer – and you better be there, because your customers will be. I stay engaged with my followers and customers by posting content on social media daily. Variety is key to keeping your audience engaged. People seem to resonate best with tutorials, freebies, inspirational quotes, and “outfits of the day” lifestyle photos. Taking a day off from social media would be like shutting down my business for the day.
– Leyla Milani-Khoshbin , founder of Leyla Milani Hair®
9. Go where they are.
For me, the one thing that never changes is knowing my audience. Marketing is about getting people into a state of mind to say Yes and encourage them to take action. If I don't have a clear understanding of their needs, fears, and values, it becomes nearly impossible to create a sense of urgency in them or even reach them. To illustrate, if I was trying to reach a largely senior audience, social media and email might not be very effective. This audience could be best reached through traditional advertising through mail, television and print media. So while things are continually changing, knowing your audience won't. Identifying and knowing who your audience is and the best way to reach them is the key to success.
– Jon Braddock , Founder and CEO of My life and my wishes
10. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
You are smart enough to know your consumer and what they want. The tricky part is basing your marketing decisions on hard facts, rather than how you feel in the moment. It is easy to become emotionally attached to the outcome of a marketing campaign. I used to expect every day to be the same, and I would make the mistake of not succeeding if it fluctuated. My most successful marketing campaigns have taken place when I made decisions based on solid, long-term numbers. Data-driven decisions will give you the power to replicate and scale what works in your business while phasing out what doesn't. It will also prevent you from tinkering with what "didn't break".
– AJ Rivera , seven-figure marketing expert, business consultant and CEO of PT Freedom ; connect with AJ on Facebook and Youtube
Related: 5 ways to make your business better than the competition
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