Tweet

Talk is Cheap

Written by: Mark Deo

Article Overview: All this talk about working on improving our businesses marketing more effectively and building more valuable, long lasting relationships is nice but it’s all TALK! And like my grandfather used to say, “talk is cheap.”

Talk is Cheap

ll this talk about working on improving our businesses marketing more effectively and building more valuable, long lasting relationships is nice but it’s all TALK! And like my grandfather used to say, “talk is cheap.”

Anybody can read books, listen to CDs, take classes to gain knowledge. However, true improvement only occurs when we take action. It is admittedly difficult to adapt business improvement strategies to our industries and personal circumstances. How can we “implement” the strategies which seem to make “so much sense” when we hear, learn and read about them yet seem so foreign when we attempt to put them into practice?

By developing an implementation plan or “plan of action.”

Our action plan must include various elements that we have talked about in these weekly business updates. I recommend creating a one page summary outlining the following components in preparation for developing the action plan:

1. Your competitive positioning in the market. - This outlines how your competition is perceived in the marketplace. See our article on the competitive landscape profile: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=164

2. Recognize the “thought trends.” – Examine the products and services that you are deciding to market and the thought trends of that customers who demand them. It is critical that you fully understand the trends in customer thinking. Check out our article on “thought trends”: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=144

3. The profile of your target audience. – Most entrepreneurs go after the big target. They try to get the biggest piece of the pie. I say go after the smallest possible market that you can find. Far better for you to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a little minnow in a great big sea. See our article on target marketing: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=190

4. Your exclusive marketing position. – Everyone is talking about having a unique solution and differentiation. This is not enough today. We must not be satisfied with having a unique solution we in fact must find a way to be the ONLY solution. Read about the “exclusive marketing position” in this article: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=109

5. Your branding statement. – How can people recognize you in crowd? Today EVERY industry and product or service category is inundated with copycat solution providers. The client has over-choice, in the extreme. How will people consistently recognize who you are? See our article on branding: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=25

6. Your informational marketing strategy. - Today it is not enough to persuade people; we must educate, influence and inspire them. How does your action plan accomplish this? Check out this article: http://www.sbanetwork.org/articles/articles_view.asp?id=175

Please feel free to give me some feedback and let me know what you’d like to us discuss in these update by visiting our survey. It will only take you 2 minutes to compete and when you do I’ll share with you my audio presentation on “Why Most Marketing Fails.”

Related Articles
  Sometimes, price is an attitude
  Cheap Promotional Products
  What to Do When Your Competitors Cut Prices
  Do Cheap Bookkeepers Save Money?
  How does a Sales Manager teach people to sell their product without giving away the farm?

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
Ideas on Using Twitter for Business - 1. Build an account and immediate start using Twitter Search to listen for your name, your competitor's names, words that relate to your space. (Listening always comes first.) 2. Add a picture. ( Shel reminds us of this.) We want to see you. 3. Talk to people about THEIR interests, too. I know this doesn't sell more widgets, but it shows us you are human. 4. Point out interesting things in your space, not just about you. 5. Share links to neat things in your community. ( wholefoods does this well). 6. Don't get stuck in the apology loop. Be helpful instead. ( jetblue gives travel tips.) 7. Be wary of always pimping your stuff. Your fans will love it. Others will tune out. 8. Promote your employees outside-of-work stories. ( TheHomeDepot does it well.) 9. Throw in a few humans, like RichardAtDELL, LionelAtDELL, etc. 10. Talk about non-business,
Re: Hi all from Australia!! - Hi Mark, Welcome to the forum, I am sure your 10 years of experience will come in useful and your contributions will be of interest to all the members. Talk of Amway certainly takes me back, LOL, regards, Mal.
Re: Ideas on Using Twitter for Business - [quote="evieparsons":2o69rd2a]1. Build an account and immediate start using Twitter Search to listen for your name, your competitor's names, words that relate to your space. (Listening always comes first.) 2. Add a picture. ( Shel reminds us of this.) We want to see you. 3. Talk to people about THEIR interests, too. I know this doesn't sell more widgets, but it shows us you are human. 4. Point out interesting things in your space, not just about you. 5. Share links to neat things in your community. ( wholefoods does this well). 6. Don't get stuck in the apology loop. Be helpful instead. ( jetblue gives travel tips.) 7. Be wary of always pimping your stuff. Your fans will love it. Others will tune out. 8. Promote your employees outside-of-work stories. ( TheHomeDepot does it well.) 9. Throw in a few humans, like RichardAtDELL, LionelAtDELL, etc. 10. Talk about non-business,[/quote:2o69rd2a] Hey thanks for these tips. Basically, help others in your market out and build relationships with people. Be someone who gives, not takes. I'll keep them in mind if I go back to social media marketing. I'm currently in the SEO phase of my business.
Re: regrets - Terri, Your decision is understandable and I appreciate you posting this instead of just leaving and making us wonder what happened to you. Come back every once in a while when you get a chance. You don't have to be a mod to give us your insight on things. Talk to you later, Trent
Re: Hi from Ireland - Hey Mal, welcome to the forum! Yep you are definitely a familiar name/face to me. I guess we've "known" each other online for about 6 years now. Just replied to your PM too. Talk to you later. Trent


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Working Across Borders

How To Become A Member of the Paparazzi

Build Corporate Credit for Your Small Business

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.