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Back-to-Basics Marketing Tip: Research, Research, Research

Guest post by: Sandy Barris

Article Overview: Rediscover proven back-to-basics marketing ideas that promise to help you market your product, service and ideas better. Read on and find ideas that will increase your the response to any marketing you are doing to increase business. Plus, add these ideas to your business plans and marketing plan and watch your business grow.

Back-to-Basics Marketing Tip: Research, Research, Research

Digging deep is the foundation and basis of successful marketing. You must know your product or service inside and out before you start any marketing campaign.

Why? Not knowing all of the advantages of your product or service hinders your ability to properly market them to future clients. Here are a few back-to-basic steps to help you research your product/service and analyze the market.

1. Thoroughly evaluate your product/service for:
   1. Features (the function and purpose of your product/service)
   2. Benefits (how your product/service solves a customer problem)
   3. Your offer (What is your quid pro quo?)
   4. The competition
      1. Compare your features and benefits to that of your competitors
      2. Gather competitor marketing materials and study their message and value proposition
2. Know what your ideal prospect looks like:
   1. What are your prospect’s desires?
   2. What does your prospect know or believe about what you offer?
   3. How emotionally evolved is your prospect in solving his/her problems?
   4. What behavioral tendencies kick him/her into action?
3. Discover your market. Dig into the following areas to find niches where your product or service fits perfectly.
   1. What are the major news events affecting your target market?
   2. How can you utilize current buying trends and desires?
      1. In what venue (in-store, internet, catalog, etc.) and with what forms of payment are your prospects most comfortable making purchases?
      2. What is the market offering in way of product and service?
      3. What are the preferred forms or types of products/services?
   3. Who are your main competitors and what are they offering?
   4. Is the timing right for your product/service?

Imagine the time, money and effort wasted by not doing your research. Now start digging deep and discovering the hidden features, benefits and methods to outsell your competitors. You’ll be glad you did.

Back-to-Basics Bonus Tip

• Treat your clients, customers and patients like royalty. Let’s face it. Each one of them is unique and you owe them special treatment. One of the fastest ways to destroy your image is to treat customers impersonally. Life happens, and sometimes great customers can miss a payment. Many of us have been in that position. If you have ever received a computerized form letter or phone call threatening to shut off a utility service or to turn your account over to a collection agency for that one missed payment, you would agree that this is not a very nice way to treat stellar customers. Keep this in mind when dealing with your own good customers.
  
  
• What’s the universal greeting? You guessed it: a smile. Do it both in person and over the phone. (Yes, when you smile while talking on the phone, you sound more pleasant to your customers.) Always, let your clients know they are appreciated and will be looked after by a caring person...not a computer.

Getting back-to-basics is a must it today’s fast-paced world. Look for additional back-to-basics marketing tips from Sandy Barris

FYI, todays my 30th wedding anniversary... Love Ya Amy

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Article Tags: business planning, business plans, marketing ideas, marketing plans, marketing research, marketing tips, research



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