Marketing Truths For Entrepreneurs In The Digital Age
These 4 key rules will change your perspective on marketing and branding your business. Understanding, and applying, value-based marketing is the new sexy in this new digital age.
Learn how to update your marketing and branding strategies to stay on top of the SEO mountain. In this article we will cover 4 key rules, debunk the common myths, and provide actionable strategies on:
- How to be brief.
- How to be clear.
- How to be the boss.
- How to offer value.
The new millennium is almost two decades old, and marketing and branding have drastically changed. Though, many entrepreneurs are still living in the past when it comes to presenting their businesses to the world.
As a brand strategy consultant, I provide website strategy for CEO’s and entrepreneurs and I see many of the same common myths and mistakes. It’s time to throw out the old myths and embrace the truths of marketing in the new digital age!
1. How to be brief
Myth #1 — The more you say in marketing, the better.
New Truth #1 — Less is more.
To be heard and understood, you don’t have to say much. You just have to be clear. Take the time to figure out your number one value, the one you want to communicate to your clients. Then get your message out there, in as few words as possible. Tag lines are the new way to communicate concisely. Be clever with your tag lines.
Action #1 — Ask yourself: What is the number one value I bring to my clients? Then come up with a few good tag lines to communicate your value.
2. How to be Clear
Myth #2 — Find out what your clients want. Get into their heads.
New Truth #2 — Stay in your own head.
Don’t waste time trying to understand what others want. When you project yourself onto others, trying to figure out how to make them come to you, you are not in your own head. Get back into your own head by focusing instead on your own values. Market your product by marketing its value and establishing your brand with consistent clarity. Make your message simple: This is what I offer.
Action #2 — Define for yourself what you offer! Be clear, be concise.
3. How to be the boss
Myth #3 — Don’t do it all. Hire experts.
New Truth #3 — Understand your business.
No one knows your business like you do. You are the expert. Before experts can do anything for you, they have to understand your business — from you! Put your energy into understanding your business for yourself. When you understand your business, you can hire the experts you really need without giving your power away. Be clear about what you want and only hire experts who can benefit your business.
Action #3 — Invest time in writing guidelines that define you and your business. Start with the number one value you want to bring to your clients.
4. How to offer value
Myth #4 — Advertise and market your product in detail.
New Truth #4 — Offer value.
Product is obsolete. In the new millennium, anyone can get anything with the simple click of a button. And that means you are competing with an almost infinite number of options for your product or service. So how are you going to differentiate yourself from the competition? By the value you offer.
Let’s take an example. Suppose an internet marketing company promotes its product like this: “We offer internet marketing strategy, email marketing services, search engine optimization, etc., etc.” This is product-based marketing.
Suppose, instead, that the same company switched its approach to this: “Go climb Mount Kilimanjaro! We’ll climb the search engines for you.”
See the difference? This is value-based marketing. The client can see the company’s experts investing their time doing what they love — bringing the client value — while the client goes off and does what he or she loves. The key to your business success is to establish your brand based on the value you offer.
What’s the bottom line? You are not selling a product, you are selling a lifestyle.
Action #4 — Ask yourself: What is the lifestyle change I want to offer my clients?
You are the fire and creative force behind your business! Put your power where it belongs — in yourself. Define your purpose. Define your values. Understand your big picture in this ever-changing business world. Be willing to shift into value marketing, and reward your clients and website visitors with excellent free products that define your expertise. Then, with your team, design a clear and concise marketing plan to establish your unique brand.
Which one is the mountain you want to climb?
Business Coach and Brand Consultant, Monica Magnetti from Luna Coaching, supports clients in climbing their mountains by defining all marketing and branding details and expanding to a greater audience.
Invest in yourself and create your ideal life. When you invest in your own journey you get the best return: YOU as the master of your life.
Monica Magnetti book 30 DAYS TO A NEW YOU — Get What You Want Through Authentic Change has been acclaimed as an essential tool for everyone.
Download for FREE: the book, the summary chart, and the workbook exercises.
Originally published at www.lunacoaching.com on December 27, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com