7-Key Questions To Ask Before Marketing Your Product or Service
By Russell "Success Sensei" Small
Whencreatinganewcompany,namingaproduct,orrollingoutaservice,thewaythatyoubrandthebenefitscanoftenmakemoreofanimpactthanconveyinganyactualfeatures.Agoodbrandcanmotivateatargetmarketinadesiredway,infactbrandingisoftendefinedasasetofbeliefsaboutacompany,product,orserviceheldbyaconsumerthatcompelsanaction".Yourbusinessesabilitytoinfluenceitstargetmarketovertimeisakeyindicatorof yourlong-termsustainability.Thisisimportantbecausethemoreprospectsthathavebeencontinuallymotivatedtotakeadesiredactionthebiggerthebrandperceptionandthebetter the business will profit.Whenitcomestobrandingperceptionistheonlyrealityforyourprospect.Ifyou'renotcontrollinghowyou'reperceivedinthemarketplaceinamannerthatservesyourbusiness,thenchancesaregooditprobablyisn'tservingyourbusiness.Controllingperceptionamongprospectsisalwaysatrickypropositionbecauseeachpotentialcustomerwillultimatelyperceiveanofferbasedontheiruniquepersonality.Weareallwireddifferentlyandasaresulteachofuswewillrespondtoexactlythesameofferinverydifferentways.Theessentialgoalofbrandingthereforeistofindabalancedapproachofofferingyourproductsorservicesinawaythatallowsyoutoattractyourtargetmarketandmotivatethemtoactusingtheleastamountofresourcesnecessary.Thesaying"Ifyoubuildittheywillcome"isoftenthrownaroundasaviablebrandingstrategyanditisacompletemarketingmyth.Thesadtruthisthatbusinessesthatoperateonthispremisegototheirgravesastheworld’sbest-keptsecrets.Intheworldof advertisingitissimplynotrealistictoexpectthatjustbecauseyou'vebuiltabiggerandbettermousetrapthatyouwillautomaticallycatchmoremice.Tomaximizeyourbrandingeffortsyouneedtofirstmakesurethemiceperceiveasmallandeasyeffortwithabigandcheesyreward.Theeasieramousebelievestheycanreceivethecheesewitheasethe more micethat will be willing try out your trap.Whenitcomestobrandingifyouwanttobuildyourmousetrapinabigwaythenyouwillneedtoseparateyourself,differentiateyourself,andbeuniqueinthemarketplace.Youcanmakeabettermousetrapforyourmarketandensuretheyaremotivatedtotakeactionbytakingthetimetoanswerthefollowingsevenkeyquestionsforuncoveringyouruniquesellingproposition.Themoretimethatyouspendgainingconciseanswerstothesequestions the morecritical insight you will gain into your brand.1. What is the market thatyou are trying to reach?- What is thecharacteristicsof the market?- What segment of the market are you focusing your efforts on?2. Whatareyour assumptions about this market?- What if your assumptions were wrong?- How doyou separate fact from fiction?3. What problem(s) is the market trying to solve thatyou can help with?- How is theproblem currently being addressed?- Whatis the nature of theproblem?
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