Marketing is typically a mysterious world of mis-understood topics and processes. Misunderstanding leads to poor performance. With clarity comes success.

Let’s learn together.

Basic Definition

I’ve always used a simple definition of marketing. It has always helped me know what is next for success.

Definition: Marketing is the process of identifying products and effective methods of delivery to solve problems for identified groups of people.

OR: Having the right product at the right place at the right time at the right price for the right people.

Notice, I didn’t say anything about advertising, or tricks or techniques to sell things.

I didn’t mention Facebook, Twitter, or email.

Nor, did I mention writing ads, or squeeze pages or books.

I mentioned problems and groups of people.

Your job in a business is marketing. Everything about your business is marketing. If you aren’t marketing all the time, your business isn’t working.

• Identify a group of people to serve.
• Identify a problem they need a solution for.
• Identify a product (or service) that will solve that problem.
• Get it delivered.

That’s it.

Your Target Market

In spite of what you might believe, your market isn’t “Everybody”. Yes, it would be great if everyone in the world would buy your product. But, they won’t. Little old ladies, peasants in China, itty-bitty babies, and homeless guys have no intention of ever buying your stuff.

Quit thinking they might.

Oh. You already got that part. But did you define this group of people well enough that you can see and hear someone in this group tell you what they need? Do you know where they live? How much they make in salary? Where they shop for groceries? What their hobbies are?

No? Then you don’t know them well enough to effectively market to them.

Sure, you might sell stuff, even sell a ton of stuff.

But, without some serious definiton of this group, you’re falling well short of your potential.

Think about who they are and where they hang out or shop.

Your Market’s Problems

People don’t buy unless they perceive a need. Once they match a product with their need, they buy.

They go looking for their solution. Or, if you’ve matched up well enough, you can uncover their need for them, and offer your product as the solution, they’ll buy from you.

Their problem might be the need to save, to have a date, to be respected, or to look good, smell, good, feel good.

You need to know what they need. Identify as many as you can. Keep track.

Your Solution Product

With all these problems identified, you can begin to find or create solutions for your market.

It might simply mean researching and sourcing a physical product. It might mean you create a book or newsletter. It might mean you do individual mentoring. Whatever it is, it needs to fulfill that need or problem you identified.

It must be THE solution that your market has been looking for.

Delivering Your Product

This step encompasses your advertising and shipment or delivery method.

You advertise where your market looks or hangs out. If your market doesn’t hang out on Facebook, even the most excellent ad and technique will be a waste.

You fish where the fish are biting.

When you know where they are at, you need to create a message that they will relate to. You make your USP, or Unique Selling Propposition. What’s so special about your solution? Why should they buy your product. What is your promise?

Your advertising needs to engage the reader, then lead them to the Buy button. This might be on a single sales page, or in the course of a series of blog posts or an email sereies.

The object of your ads is to sell the product. Not to create brand awareness, nor to show how compassionate or environmentally concerned you are.

Sell the product.

Then get the product to them as efficiently as you can.

The Followup

Whether they buy from you or not, they deserve your followup attention. It is less expensive to sell to a recent, existing customer than to a new one, or to one who bought a long time ago.

Stay in touch.

Marketing 101

It’s easy. Marketing is finding and solving a problem for a specific group of people.

You can do it.