Until the day I learned to play chess I loved playing checkers. Both games require a strategy that maximizes a player's ability to capture her opponents pieces without first losing her own. Checkers was fun. But the complexities of chess lead to more satisfying victories and defeats.
Chess is a more complicated game than checkers as there are more variables. Therefore, much more thought and concentration is required to win a game of chess than is required to win a game of checkers.
Like chess, marketing your business is a complicated endeavor. A successful chess player anticipates future moves and will position his pieces in such a way that each piece helps add strength to other pieces already in place.
A successful marketing strategy is no different than a winning chess strategy. Every move you make must reinforce previous and future moves. Instead of rooks, bishops and queens the moves made in the game of marketing are made with advertisements, web sites, marketing messages, brochures and so on.
As a small business owner you don't risk losing pieces to your opponent you risk losing business to your competitors.
Great chess players have a strategy that helps them win with consistency. Here's a marketing strategy you can use to consistently win new business.
Focus Your Marketing
Target your market with a marketing message that speaks directly to the population you serve. A marketing message is a phrase or sentence that clearly demonstrates who you help and the problems you solve.
Develop and use your marketing message as often as you can. Doing so will help get your business get noticed by those most likely to buy from you. Use your marketing message in your marketing materials, your website and any and everywhere your business comes in contact with potential clients.
Effective use of a marketing message can be a small business owner's best friend. A good one will work hard for you to generate new business and will never ask for anything in return.
Inspire Action
Once you've used your marketing message to grab hold of your prospects' attention, be it at your website, after reading one of your ads or an article you've written, be sure you clearly instruct them to take the action you want. It doesn't matter what the action is as long as it requires them to provide you their contact information so you may continue marketing to them.
Offer something useful and free in exchange for their information. Give away free recipes if you're a caterer or tips on designing bouquets if you're a florist. Just be certain to give clear directions about what should be done next to move your sales process along.
Build a Relationship
After you've successfully culled from your prospects' their contact information it is now time for you to develop a relationship with them. The nature of the relationship you develop should be one that makes it clear that you know your prospect is out there, that you understand your prospects' problems and that you can help solve your prospects' problems.
Common methods for developing relationships with prospects are distributing articles, publishing an ezine and conducting surveys. Be sure to include your marketing message with every article, ezine or survey.
Over time you will become the obvious solution to your clients' problems when they decide to take action to solve what concerns them.
Move Your Marketing forward
Using each of the above methods will help you position your business much like a champion chess player positions his pieces. In the end victory and more sales will be yours.
Copyright 2005, Jeremy Cohen and Better Marketing Results
The author, Jeremy Cohen, helps small business owners and professional service providers attract more clients, grow their business and be more successful with his marketing strategy and web site enhancement service and his marketing guides. Get his free marketing strategy guide : Jumpstart Marketing: More Profits, Clients and Success at: http://www.bettermarketingresults.com/
Saucy Shoes Revitalizes its Online Presence
The designer shoe boutique in Annapolis Maryland, Saucy Shoes, has just released its new face for the web. The new website, designed by Blue Water Media, highlights the unique personality and offerings of Saucy Shoes. The website brings attention to the prestigious line of shoe designers the store carries, the character and atmosphere of the boutique itself, and the beautiful accessories the store carries.
Information about Golf clothing
You always need to wear something casual. You get college branded golf shirts or polo shirts which you can enjoy wearing. When you start searching you can find lot more stuff than just the college branded shirts. Polo shirts are very comfortable and also have designer wear which has just a small design on the left side of the chest for your favorite team. It in 100% cotton and has 4-button front with ribbed collar and arm. They can be worn at any time of the game. The regular college golf shirt or polo shirts are very comfortable. Rainproof golf gears are another thing that have the tendency to hold water from passing through for only a certain period, and will permit air to pass through and may draw liquid through the fabric on long rain e...
Do You Have These Latest Notebook Accessories With You?
The market for notebook is growing exponentially these days According to a recently survey, notebook market is growing at a rate of over 20% annually in the North American region
Small Recreational Vehicles
Ready to hit the road and have some fun? A small recreational vehicle might be the perfect choice for you. The phrase "small recreational vehicle" describes a vehicle created with one purpose in mind: to have fun. One might consider go-carts, off-road motorcycles, ATVs and jet skis to fit the bill. While these examples are certainly fun, they are not really small recreational vehicles.
Cutting Costs with Coupons
As a consumer you can literally save hundreds of dollars every year by just using discount coupons. Some shoppers say they have cut their grocery bill by 50 by using coupons, which is a significant savings! In the long run, you would be surprised at how much you can save just by taking the time to clip a coupon.
Small Business Research Board Study: Small Businesses Struggle with Government Compliance Still Rising According to Latest Small Business Research Boa
Government regulation continues to plague small businesses despite federal efforts to reduce the time needed to meet the demands of compliance, according to a study by the Small Business Research Board (SBRB) released here today.
New Book Helps Small Businesses Expand Their Financial Horizons
The newly published book, Solving the Capital Equation: Financing Solutions for Small Businesses, has over 25 in-depth yet succinct case study examples of what other business owners have done to creatively access expansion capital to grow their businesses. The material covers everything from what is available (and how to access it) to what works best for your business type - from forming strategic alliances to tapping supplier financing. This book shows business owners how to obtain the capital they need to grow and build viable, sustainable businesses to sell or pass on to the next generation.
Comfortable Bowling Shoes Can Make Your Game
There are really only two needed items to play the game of bowling. The first is the ball and the second is the bowling shoes. You don?t need to own either of these as it is standard practice to rent them at the bowling alley. However it won?t take you long to realize that most serious bowlers have their own ball and bowling shoes.
Skeletons & Skulls Now A Sexy Lingerie Style For Online Store
TotallySexyLingerie.net sees increase of sexy lingerie prints including skeletons and skulls. Owner, Bethany Smith, says that when paired with the right elements, the prints capture a popular trend.
David's Shoes of Beverly Hills Announces Shoe Drive to Benefit Soles4Souls, Inc.
David's Shoes of Beverly Hills is running its fourth semiannual shoe trade-in event with Nashville based non-profit Soles4Souls. From February 18th to March 9th receive 15% off any regular priced item in the store with the donation of a pair of gently worn shoes.