Where Are They?

How do you find your market?

"Find your market" is really just a fancy way of saying "Find the people who want to buy your product". So...who have you come up with? Here are some typical answers:

• Relatives
• Colleagues
• Neighbors
• Friends from my school/church/clubs

OK - let's see. For me, that list would include maybe 50 people. Not because I'm antisocial. I just don't have very many relatives, I work for a small company, don't know my neighbors, and my friends already know what I sell, so now what?

Well...that takes care of that. What does your list look like? It may have a few more people in any of the categories, but the real point is this: Your list is finite. It is limited. If you limit your view of your market to people you know, or even people you know PLUS their friends, you still don't have enough audience to sell more than perhaps 100 products. Sorry...I'm sure you're a delightful and likable person, but you're only ONE person, and you can only reach so many people by yourself.

Yikes - How will I ever sell anything?

You've probably figured out by now that other people will be involved in helping you sell your product. In other words, if you want to "expand your market", you're going to need some help. We live in wonderful times. You can now reach THOUSANDS of people who are interested in your product, and you can do it on a shoestring budget. The world is connected by a network of online forums called Social Media.

Many of you probably engage in some form of online social networking through the main SM forums: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and/or YouTube. There are others, but these are the most universally used. Perhaps you've created a profile or two, and through that, you stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues. Still - that's the same small list we've already discovered.  

Here's what you may be missing. 

Each of these forums has its own 'search engine' through which you can uncover groups, associations and organizations that share your interests. THIS is the market you need to begin engaging with.  For instance: Let's say your product helps people grow better flowerbeds. In each of the SM forums, type in related phrases, like "gardening" or "garden club" and see what pops up. On Facebook, you'll find "pages" or "groups" that you can subscribe to and begin engaging with people. On Twitter, you'll find people who have used the phrase you've 'searched' for, and 'follow'. They're likely to follow you back. The same principle holds true with LinkedIn, Pinterest, and other sites. Find your audience and engage. Try some other search terms, perhaps "landscaping" or "flower arrangements" or "horticulture". Be curious - explore these forums. You'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly you can "expand your market" as you simply connect with a bigger audience.

Yes, some of you will need help navigating Social Media. However, you have nothing to lose by just diving in and playing with it. If all else fails, ask your 12-year old neighbor to help you if you get really lost.

If you decide you need professional help, that's available as well. I'm as close as your phone or email, and it doesn't cost you a thing to ask me a question!

- Mary Beth Smith

North Dallas Marketing Group

214-536-2624

Logic or Emotion? Why People Buy...

How do you convince people to buy your product? 

I've been invited to address the Operation JumpStart class in the Best Southwest Small Business Development Center at Cedar Valley Community College later this month, and that's the topic I've been asked to address.

I suppose business people have been asking that question since buying and selling began. Entire books and courses exist that talk about nothing else. What makes a person or company decide to buy from one company and not another? Are the companies that different? Are the products that different? Many companies offer the same or similar products, yet some are clearly more successful than others. Why is that?

Most of us don't have the time and/or resources to study this exhaustively. There is a new book or workshop every year. You could start reading right now and still not have finished all the books on this topic by the end of the year! Personally, after many years as both a marketer and a professional sales rep, what I believe is pretty simple and straightforward:

Buyer Fact #1: People don't buy what they don't know about.
Buyer Fact #2: Knowing about something isn't the same as being interested in it.
Buyer Fact #3: Most purchases are based on emotion.
Buyer Fact #4: Once emotion and interest are engaged, logic can justify the purchase.

Knowing just these few things about buyers should make some marketing truths pretty clear. If you hope to sell your product, you need to understand these truths.

Marketing Truth #1: You have to find the people who are interested in your product.
Marketing Truth #2: You have to know how to reach them.
Marketing Truth #3: You have to present your product in a way that appeals to their emotion.
Marketing Truth #4: You can usually charge a higher price when people want what you sell.

While there can be some variations on this based on whether you're selling b2b or b2c, there's still a lot of truth to the old saying "People buy from People". Even in a b2b setting, where logic seems to dictate purchases, when all products and prices are similar, emotion is likely to tip the balance.

The Marketing Hat and Small Businesses

Want to read more about "The Marketing Hat"? Click on the picture!

Small business owners wear a lot of hats. In fact, at one time or another, they wear ALL the hats in the company.  One of the most uncomfortable can be that pesky "marketing hat". Marketing can seem overwhelming, and it's not hard to see why. Is it advertising? Is it sales? Is it social media? Is it promotional products? Is it events? Is it postcards?

We've watched small businesses take all kinds of approaches to marketing, including ignoring it all together! Formal marketing education mostly takes the approach that its students will work in large corporations, and the training is quite intense.

We've created "The Marketing Hat" as a one-day crash course in marketing for small businesses. Getting down to the basics, such as how to budget, how to make a plan and how to execute it without killing yourself in the process. You CAN scale good principles to fit your small business, and in the process learn how to find the right customers and maintain it with a good return on your investment!

Mary Beth Smith

NDMG

Dallas, TX 

If you are interested in attending our Dallas class on August 13, email me at mbsmith@NorthDallasMarketingGroup.com
 and I'll send you a promo code that will save you $40 off the registration.  

This is a good deal - you should check it out!

.......................................

Old Home Week?

When I lived in New England, I found the origins of the phrase "Old Home Week". It was a time when people gathered in home towns and celebrated their shared heritage. I guess I always knew that's what the phrase meant - I just didn't know people really did it!

We gathered with several thousand other small business owners at the Dallas Convention Center a couple of weeks ago, and had our own "Old Home Week" in a sense - visiting with and sharing stories among ourselves, seeing people we already knew, and meeting others for the first time.

Being from a small town is different than growing up in a large city. Likewise, marketing for a small business is different than marketing for a large corporation. Spending the day with so many small business owners reminded us why we focus on their special situations, and reinforced for us how much we love it!


Besides storm troopers, we visited with bakers, designers, writers, accountants, lawyers, educators, several chambers of commerce, insurance reps, retail stores, service businesses and more.

Our display was pretty simple - a nice table cloth and plenty of print brochures, along with some great pens, sticky notes and bookmarks. Just like any other 'reunion', we got to talk about the usual things, plus new things, like our book publishing division, Park Cities Press, and our printing company, AlphaGraphics of Park Cities.

It was a festive day, and we look forward to the next "Old Home Week" - You should come join us next time!!

"I Don't Get That Computer Stuff..."

I hear people say this every day, and some of them get a little testy if you even ask them for an email address. Admittedly, most of us are getting around fairly well with email, and have learned how to search the internet for information. I don't generally try to convince anyone who doesn't want to use a computer that they have to. Who am I to make ANYone do something they don't want to do?! (My children aren't reading this, so I can say that...)

What if you own a business that needs more exposure and sales? Clearly a marketing issue, and if you've read about modern marketing dazzlers like "database marketing", and know you "dont get that computer stuff", than I have good news for you - A database has nothing to do with your computer!

Seriously. A database is nothing more than a collection of information. A file box with index cards, each containing a name and phone number that you wrote with a #2 pencil is a database. An address book that has your Christmas card list is a database. That book you have that you filled with business cards? A database! Who knew? That's all a database is - a collection of information.

Now - if you are working with customers and prospects, it's not hard to figure out that the more of those index cards you have in that file box, the more information you have to sell more stuff to those people. And that's where computers come in handy. Moving all that data into electronic form allows you to collect it in extremely large filing cabinets - they're simply electronic.

Do you know what else you need besides lots of data? (Remember - "data" is just a short word for information) If you want your data to be more useful for you, you need some organization so you can find things. (Fancy word for finding things? Retrieval!) An example of organizing a database is doing what you were taught in grade school - just putting it in alphabetical order!

Let's say you've created a customer database that looks like this:
1. A small file box
2. 100 index cards
3. 100 first & last names
4. 100 phones #s.

First thing you're probably going to do is simply put it in order by last name, and if you're really fancy, you'll add some index tabs! That's a good, basic approach to a database, and you can now find phone numbers very easily. But...what could you do with a little more information? (Data...I need to call it "Data"!)

OK - Here's a list of a little more basic "data" you could use in your database:
1. Street Address
2. City
3. ZIP code
4. Job Title
5. Age
6. Gender
7. Email address

These are just a few of the endless pieces of information (ouch - DATA) that might help you know your customer better and figure out how you might sell to them more effectively. And...it's those endless pieces of data that finally will require someone to enter it into a computer. The good news? It doesn't have to be YOU entering it. Believe it or not, you can frequently BUY the data you need, or at least hire someone to dig through your filing cabinet and then enter it into electronic form for you.

One of my favorite things to do with an electronic database? Sort it differently!!! I just love selecting "sort by ZIP code" and watching all my customers who are in the same ZIP code magically appear in alphabetical order on my computer screen. Data retrieval is FUN! Can you do that with a filing cabinet? Well...yes...it's called 'cross-referencing', and back when I learned to type and file and all that secretarial stuff, it took forever to do. I guess that's why I love my electronic databases so much - they make my life So. Much. Easier. I love it!!

You can keep hating to use the computer, but PLEASE don't hate databases. Just buy what you need, or hire someone to make it work for you. We can do both at AlphaGraphics, and the results will be worth their weight in gold.

Data Rocks!! Get yours lined up and increase your sales!

Mary Beth Smith

for "The AG Marketing Companion

Puzzled?

Have you noticed these odd jigsaw-puzzle squares lately? We're seeing them more frequently in the US, and once you start looking for them, you'll be surprised how many of them are found on everyday objects now!

What are they? They're actually a type of bar code, sometimes called a 2D Bar Code, but usually referred to as a "QR Code". "QR" stands for "quick response". So...quick response to what? And...what does any of it have to do with marketing? Well...here's a "what if" situation.

What if...you were driving around neighborhoods looking for a house? Let's say you notice an interesting house with a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. And...let's say there's a QR Code printed on the sign underneath the agent's name and phone number. So...now you take out your smart phone, and using the easy, free app you've already downloaded, you snap a picture of the QR Code. (Just google QR reader to find a free app - it's that easy!)

Now the magic begins! While you're looking at your phone, a video pops up that tours you through the house, showing you features right there on the spot! Or maybe the realtor's website pops up with a slide show and all the details like square footage and amenities. And...maybe there's an exclusive offer that you can only access via the QR Code.

Wouldn't you think that was pretty cool?

What if you were the real estate agent? Wouldn't you love to be able to get all those juicy details in front of your prospects like that? Or what if you sell cupcakes? How about being able to put a QR Code on the box that leads to a video or website describing your cookies, also - and maybe a coupon for a customer to use for their next purchase?! What about QR Codes by menu items to show you nutritional info, or on clothing hang tags to show you fabric care or companion accessories?

They add no cost whatsoever to your printed pieces. They cost nothing to create and nothing to read. That's right - nothing! The value they add, however, is priceless because it allows you to market and enhance your product information any place at any time, simply by having included it.

QR Codes allow quick response that goes both ways. If someone wants information about your product, they can get it immediately. If you want to know more about the prospect who's looking at your product, analytics can tell you what they're looking for. It's a win-win!

That's not so puzzling, is it?!

Mary Beth Smith

for The AG Marketing Companion

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We're always ready to help you put together a campaign using QR Codes and other cool new technologies. When you're ready, contact Sherry Perry at 214-363-1101 or sperry@alphagraphics.com

5 Rules for Marketing with Social Media

I've noticed that a lot of companies who are beginning to use social media networking as a marketing tool repeatedly urge new users to post regular entries to their Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and/or Blogs. While that sounds like the right thing to do, I think there's something fundamentally more urgent: Developing a network! Frankly, if you don't have an audience, it doesn't MATTER if you post - No one is going to see it!!

If you're interested in spreading your message, you absolutely MUST develop an audience. Here are 5 ways to help you do that:

Start with people you know.
Invite your personal friends and customers to join your business network - not so you can use your network as a megaphone to shout sales pitches at them - just to be able to engage and stay up with things. Here's a hint about Facebook: Once you have 25 fans (likes) on your Fan Page, you can customize the URL, ie., facebook.com/AGMarketingCompanion. This makes it really easy to post links to it in other places. I really encourage you to set up a separate Facebook page for your business, rather than use your personal profile for business purposes.

Reach out to people you'd LIKE to know.
When you invite them, include a personal note about why you'd like to connect. Please, though...don't write someone a note saying "I want you to be my friend so I can sell you stuff." Just tell them something you appreciate or admire about them, and that you'd like to stay in touch. You'd be surprised how many people will respond to your sincerity. If you're on Twitter, find people who interest you and follow them. Many of them will follow you back.

Include your social media sites in your signature.
Whether it's your email, your business cards, websites, or brochures - Anywhere your name or company name appears, your social media sites need to appear also. If space allows, invite people to follow you. Perhaps you can make a special offer, such as exclusive discounts, free e-books or guides, etc., that are only available through your social media site.

Respond to Blogs and Discussion Groups.

Everytime you post a brilliant comment on someone's Blog, include your own social media URL. People who like what you say will want to follow you. The same premise applies to Discussion Groups on LinkedIn. When you participate and engage with discussion threads, you will find yourself networking with people who will either request to connect with you, or will respond to YOUR request to connect. Either way, you're building a network - an audience!

Post links to all your social sites on other social sites.
Here's how this works: (1) You post an interesting article on your Facebook page. (2) You announce it on Twitter, including your customized Facebook URL in 140 characters or less! (3) Now, go over to LinkedIn, and announce it on your update status, along with the URL. (4) While you're on LinkedIn, visit one of your discussion groups. Start a news discussion about your Facebook page, and include...you guessed it...the link! LI will allow you to add your other discussion groups to the distribution list, and within moments, you can be in front of thousands of people. Seriously!

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OK - that's enough for now! There are other tactics you can use, but if you just start with the first two listed above, you'll be making a great start! THEN you can feel good about posting your updates, because people will actually SEE them!

Advanced networking can be time consuming, so just start with what you CAN do and don't fret about what you can't handle immediately. This is a process, not a deadline. If, on the other hand, you want to ramp up your social network marketing, you can certainly hire people to handle it for you. If that's something you're interested in, you can always contact Sherry Perry at our Park Cities location (214-363-1101 or sperry@alphagraphics.com) and she'll be happy to discuss it with you!

Let me know if any of this is helplful - I like hearing from you! Tell me what you'd like to know more about, and I'll include it in a blog entry for everyone.

Mary Beth Smith

The AG Marketing Companion

http://www.linkedin.com/in/printwithmarybethsmith