THE IMPORTANCE OF SENDING THE SAME (MARKETING) MESSAGE

by Andrew L. Witherspoon
Date 2/19/2007

What message are you sending out to the public concerning your online presence? Are you to the right, the left or on the fence concerning the topics that you support or don’t support? This article deals with the importance of the messages we send in regards to business, especially online business. Many times in order to make that next bit of profit, many Internet business people will throw out the message that they think the masses want to hear, never knowing that this is a detrimental move for their business if it does not coincide with the larger picture of where they are trying to take their venture.

The long term success of any business, online or not depends on how it is perceived, not only by its targeted clientele but also by the people affected by this target group. You may have the greatest product in the world but without the proper message supporting it, the product will be doomed to failure. This article will go into some of the major aspects involved in creating the proper message that are foundational, regardless of product, price, advertising, or marketing. With all of the schemes and scam’s on the market today, the following outlined aspects of a lasting message are what is being looked for and at with scrutiny.

Honesty

The concept of honesty seems simple until you mix in the prospect of money, then something strange begins to happen. This something strange is usually called greed. The ugly green eyed monster. The greatest campaign and product will fail if there is no honesty inherent in it’s marketing strategy. Let’s think about this. I need a widget for whatever reason. Company A sells the exact widget that Company B sells. Lets say that widget A and B are identical in every respect. This means function, color, weight, size and price. In this scenario, what makes one widget outsell the other? The marketing of course. And what differences in marketing can you create if the products are exactly alike? Well, the only thing you could really do is say that one outperforms the other but then you would have to think up a fabrication to make this seem plausible.

Consumers are not the sheep that many in the marketing industry think that they are. Discriminating buyers abound. It would only be a matter of time for false claims to cause one widget to outsell the other. Honesty is key. You may get away with the lie today but only at the expense of future sales. When marketing any product, you should first believe in it, otherwise, either don’t sell or endorse it. The trap that a lot of entrepreneurs fall into is the selling of mass products they know nothing about in the hopes that even if it is not a great product they can sell it through sheer marketing alone. This may work for a time but the time is definitely limited.

Integrity

Integrity like respect is earned. No one will trust you past a certain point, that point being their bank account, unless you have integrity. That integrity can only come from building a reputation for honesty and fair dealing. Now I am sure that a lot of people buy things without having any sense of the honesty or integrity that is behind what they just bought. We all do this from time to time. Sometimes, not often, we are even amazed that we actually got a good deal. Most often than not we are displeased with our purchase. There are many consumers who fall into this category. Have you ever heard the term compare shop? If not then this is what it means. Don’t buy the first thing that looks good. There is usually something better. Also, an implied tactic of compare shopping is to ask around. Ask others who have bought the product what they think of it. Word or mouth,email, or post can skyrocket a products sales. Just imagine, Honest, Integrity and a good product!

Dependability

Dependability is important in sending your marketing message. This means dependability of your product, company, promises, customer service and customer help. The list goes on. What your customer wants to know is now since they have helped you make a buck, will you be there to help them and support your product when they eventually, and they will, have a problem with it. For a marketing, salesperson, anybody in business, being dependable can mean the difference between going out of business and repeat customers. Repeat customers can equal referred customers. And the customers just keep on coming. It’s called networking, something all businesses need to survive. Remember what ever you say about you, your product and your business, make sure that it can be depended upon. If you want to stay in business, make sure that you become known first and foremost as the go to person that people can count on. You will never be sorry, I promise.

Trust

Imagine being in a position in your business where you have established a reputation of honesty, integrity and dependability. Your customers know that they can trust you with their hard earned money. What would you do. Believe it or not, many in this situation would recognize that they are trusted and act accordingly. On the other hand, this is a dangerous point in the life cycle of any business. The possibility exist that a trust gained could be betrayed. Example: We all have hardships whether rich, or poor, employer or employee. A company or business person going through such a hardship could be tempted to use their position of trust to foist off products to their trusting and now willing clientele. Don’t let this be you. Make it a point to always keep the trust you gain, no matter if it is personal or business. Trust is invaluable.

In a situation where your customers trust you is a situation where you should be giving back to them, to reciprocate, in return for their patronage. In good times or ill, always treat the customer well. Send the constant message that you will not fail them. Do not bite the hand that feeds you. You don’t have to be a Mister Goody Two Shoes, one shoe will do just fine. Your customers don’t expect you to be perfect but they do demand to be treated perfectly. If not, your revenue will drop just as quickly as it rose.

Benefits

Giving benefits, even conditional ones to your customers is a powerful marketing strategy. Everyone like something that is free, for the most part. Your marketing strategy should always have a benefit included. Buy one get one free. Give credit towards a future purchase. There are many ways to include an added benefit to get a potential customer to buy and keep buying. Lets face it, buying and selling is the name of the game. Buy or sell until your heart is content. Just remember, make sure that regardless of which side of the sale you are on, there should be a benefit, for everyone.

Price

This is probably the simplest part of your marketing message that you will have to deal with, in a sense. The best product does not always win out. More likely it will be the cheapest one. Keep this in mind when pricing what you are marketing with just enough added to make your profit. I said profit, not a killing. You will not get rich off of one, a hundred, or even a thousand sales where the product is costly. The number one reason for this is that most of us just can’t afford it. Putting your product in a high category such as this will limit your marketing strategy as well as you potential income. Play with the prices until they seem just right. Use your marketing metrics to determine when you have hit the appropriate price range for what you are selling and then….sell. Make sure to always do it with honesty, integrity, dependability, trust a with benefits.

Conclusion

Nothing is written in stone. If you have a fair to good product and you market it like I have outlined or you use a marketing specialist, there still is no guarantee. The only guarantee you will get from using this strategy is that in the end, your morals and ethics will be intact. If you have no morals or have read this article and think that your marketing plans can do without a little humanity then by all means, sell. I can also guarantee that you won’t be in business long if you stick to your guns. Marketing is about Psychology. Sure there are many fancy words, techniques and strategies but in the end it is simply about giving people what they need and want. Make sure your needs and wants don’t clash with theirs and you should be well on you way to being successful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Witherspoon is a freelance writer, an internet entrepreneur and a staff writer for Literafeelya Magazine.

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This article may be reprinted provided that: It is not altered in any way and the author is credited. Fore related articles and content, visit: Mega Product Marketing And Review or contact the author at andrewwitherspoon@hotmail.com.

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