GrimThing.com

A personal blog with topics on computers, video games, technology

Menu
Menu

Knock, knock. Who’s There? Your Target Market, Are You Listening?

Posted on July 2, 2010 by admin

Have you ever had a conversation with a person who wasn’t listening to anything you said?


This one-way communication experience is a big turn-off and many times frustrating to cope with at the time.


Is this occurring in your marketing? Oops, no one wants to think of their business as turning a deaf ear to their market. Yet it can be easy to do since most of us have a jammed packed life already, with little time to spare let alone to listen to what our market is saying. Yet, we can’t afford not to, or we lose our revenue. Relying even 40 percent on push marketing turns off the sound to your market. Okay, Catherine, what is push marketing?


Push marketing is when you use brochures, flyers and other material — including your business card — and you push them out into the market praying all the time you are doing it, hoping they read them and will take the action you want them to. This is an easy rhythm to get into because it allows you to hide and not feel any rejection. Yes, if you don’t know who they are, they can’t reject you.


Materials are supporting documentation and should never be used to push what people need to buy from you. Yet, business owners, especially independent professionals and newbie’s (under 3 years in business) use push marketing to frequently to “feel” like they are marketing. Then when the response rate is nil or real small, which is always the case, they get disappointed, give up (major reason for dissolutions in the first 3 years of businesses), and begin to think they can’t market, or marketing is “t-o-o” hard.


Then they walk around pointing out why people aren’t buying. Take a moment, do it now before you forget, and make a quick list of what you use to market your service — brochures, business card, flyers, what else? Yes, most web sites are push marketing — you need to push people to get them to visit. Of course, there are some exceptions.


Now ask, “How much do I count on for these materials to market for me? Do you go to networking events and push your business card into everyone’s hand?” Oh, did you feel that whoosh of negative energy with that sentence? I sure did. Next time, keep those business cards in your pocket until asked for one and then still hesitate to give it out without some boundaries or criteria.


Why, because a business card has all your contact information on it. U-know, name, phone number, and maybe a logo that took you a year or two to develop that your market could care less about.


Your business card doesn’t say how kind, understanding, caring or what you know or the value you bring to your clients. Its just flat energy.


Well, then, Catherine, how can you do this differently? Thought you would never ask.


Be creative. Think of a few things you would prefer to do to establish a relationship with your market. How about printing a copy of your ebook or latest article and discussing the topic instead of handing out a business card. Take one or two copies with you to give to qualified leads.


If someone else sees you giving the ebook out, and you want them to, invite them to a free upcoming teleclass and say its part of the handouts (even if it isn’t). Take out a small note sheet that has your name, web site, and phone number printed on them (here’s a vendor I recommend if you don’t have any of these already — various sizes — Day Timer http://www.daytime.com), and write down the name, date and time of the next teleclass and tell them they can register by visiting your web site.


KEY: The moment you use ink and take the time to write it down it, you move from push marketing to relationship building marketing.


Make it your goal to connect and begin building a relationship with your market. Look around and take measurement on how you are using with your material. Create a “measurement moment” and check in regularly. I do. Ask, “How can I do something different this week that builds connections?” Make a list of one or two you can do differently. Then test them. Be creative.


Ask, “How can I learn about at least one of their challenges?” After you do, spend some quality time thinking how your product or service answers that challenge. If not, and it fits into your niche, then ask the universe to send you some options on how you can. This will open new doors of creative flow for you.


Remember, this is a learning curve, behavioral change, and shift in mentality. So, adapt and adopt with patience and love.


When you connect with others you double, even triple your attractiveness and money. Solo attracts solo.


Questions to support your evolution


> Is your marketing communication two way?


> Is your push marketing percent too high?


> How can I ask prospects to share with me their biggest problems or challenges?


> How does that relate to what I am offering?


> How can I change this right now?


> Have I put my “measurement moment” on my regular agenda for next week, next month?


> What 3 questions can I have in my arsenal for my next point of contact (include e-mail in this as well)?

conversation
Related Flicker Images:

Related Posts

  • The Three Little Pigs Went to the Stock Market

    Three little pigs went to the market to stock up for the future.The first little…

  • How To Create and Market Your own E-Book

    The Internet presents an amazing opportunity foranyone who knows how to research and write.There's masses…

  • If You Do No Other Preparation

    Far too often we see small businesses rush into doing things without planning and preparing.…

Category: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Archives

  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010

Tags

answer article articles attention business chances college customer days estate good great hard heard important internet life list love market marketing message money online past people question real sales start step succeed success thing things time today understand valuable ways words work world writing years
© 2025 GrimThing.com | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme