The Merrie News - Aug 11, 2008

What Marketing Is Not

Hello

Well, The Merrie News is well and truly launched - with people subscribing right up to the very last moment before it went out!

I've had a busy week coaching network marketers on various aspects of their business. It's really exciting to hear so many people shedding the old way of coaching and realising that they are in business for themselves. Not for their network marketing company.

This week, as promised, is a continuation from last week - looking at:

What Marketing Isn't (My Top Three)

No. 1: I hear small business owners (all the time) say "I must do some advertising". By this they mean "marketing". Marketing is not advertising.

But...advertising is just one method of executing marketing, along with many, many others. Marketing is knowing who your customers/prospects are, what they want, knowing how to give it to them, and make some money in the process. How you do this...how you implement your marketing....covers so many aspects from creative and copywriting skills, to research, to your message, your offer, the way you get your message out there (eg posters, radio, classified ads, the internet, word of mouth, special offers, talks, demonstrations and so on and so on).

Your marketing strategy gives you the general direction you will take to fulfil your business goals. Your marketing plan will give you the actual road map and directions to get there. Things like advertising, door drops, presentations etc are the vehicle that your drive in. Just like cars you will spend more money on some methods than others. And some will get you there faster than others.

No. 2: Marketing is not 'sales' or 'selling'.

Sales and Marketing go hand in hand, and I see them as two sides of the same coin. They are two sets of skills that complement each other.

"Marketing" brings the people in and qualifies them..."Sales" gets the person to buy, and is an entirely different skill set. (Sales, by the way, can be done in person or through good copywriting).

Sorry, I know that sounds obvious, but so many people lump them together. It's all very well getting very good at marketing and bringing qualified people in to you...but it will NOT work if you then don't know what to do then. So, although I'm a marketer and that's what I teach (and do), you need to go and learn some sales skills too! (Likewise, it's all very well being a fantastic sales person...if you have no-one to sell to!).

No. 3: Marketing is not glamorous.

Marketing takes time and dedication. It's an ongoing process of running your business. If you think that I can give you the "magic marketing bullet" that unleashes your business for you, then you're very much mistaken. You will have to learn, read (not just me - there's lots of other 'stuff' out there), apply, test, learn some more, apply some more... Marketing ourselves also involves some self development.

If you want to make a fast buck then go elsewhere. If you want to learn how to grow your business properly, on secure foundations that will support your future, then you'd best stick around, get out your pens and notepad and take some notes.

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