How to Market a Business

Everyday I think about how to market a business. Not only my business, but those of my clients.

I’ve shared before, that if you don’t realize you’re a marketer in the business of [your product or service], you’re probably struggling.

Marketing is the lifeblood of getting and keeping customers. It’s how you communicate the value you bring to the equation.

Getting Dirty

You may have heard the expression about ‘getting your hands‘ dirty when learning something new.

Or, you may have read “Failing Faster Forward” or “Ready Fire Aim.”

All these have in common are the message that it’s better to do something poorly than not at all.

And that means marketing to.

“You’re a Marketer”

That’s the message I share repeatedly.

Yes, I know it would be nice to delegate the marketing of your product or service.

It would be great to let someone else worry about communicating what you do effectively, and selling people into your service.

And in some cases, you can get affiliates and other representatives to do it for you.

But, you have to lay a strong foundation of marketing for your business.

The Basics of Marketing

When I was first starting out, I had a new business, no customers and even less revenue.

In doing my market research, I realized there were dozens of competitors in the area doing what I was doing.

The prospects I was talking to needed to know what made me special and why they should hire me… instead of the other companies.

This was made even harder because I was offering warehousing services without directly having a warehouse – talk about tricky.

The Mess

Early on, when I was asked the hard questions; “why you?” “you don’t even have a warehouse!” or “you’re too inexperienced” – I struggled to respond.

After each embarrassing incident where I didn’t have a good response, I’d go back to the office and work on addressing the value I brought to the table, and how to handle objections.

I bet you have similar thoughts or get similar feedback; “why should I hire you, there’s thousands of coaches out there?” “what makes you so different?”

How you answer these questions, or prevent their being asked in the first place, is the art and science of how to market a business.

It’s messy when you first started out. I know, I stuttered, stammered and searched for the right words. Sometimes saying things that made no sense.

But, that’s part of the process and within a few months, I had some very effective value propositions and responses to objections.

What Happened?

That first business went from zero revenue, zero employees and no warehouse – to over $4 million within 3 years, 45 employees and four locations. And it kept growing.

What made it special? Why did I grow so quickly?

Image via Wikipedia

Because I was willing to make a mess of things early on. I was willing to work through ‘not having everything perfect’ and keep moving forward, as Walt Disney would say.

Flashback

Remember when you were a kid and playing in the dirt? I remember fondly the messes I made and the fun I had getting dirty. I’d even turn the hose on to make sure I had plenty of mud for my pleasure.

I can’t remember any of my friends who didn’t like playing in the dirt. Kids seem to be drawn to dirt and mud like flies to a light.

Flash forward to present day. My four kids are just as attracted to getting dirty today, as I remember being as a kid. And they don’t waste an opportunity to turn the hose on to get even muddier.

Your Turn

Now, it’s your turn to jump in the dirt, turn on the hose and make some mud.

Chances are you’re not doing all you can to market your business, but instead, are holding back until you; have the website done, have your business cards perfect, have your elevator speech done, yada, yada, yada…

With what you have today, pick up the phone, or get in your car and go find someone to speak to about what you do and how you can help them.

How to market a business is to market a business. It’s as simple as that.

Now go get dirty…

To Your Millionaire!

David Koons
FreeAgentCoach.com
Helping You Get More Clients… Faster

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Tags: David Koons, Free Agent Coach, how to advertise your business, how to market a business, internet marketing, market research, marketing and advertising