If you’re an entrepreneur, author, or organization who wants to grow your revenue, your marketing must be effective. But, when I say “effective,” I don’t mean the typical advice about proper messaging, value, or audience reach. There’s another side to marketing effectively – showing up where you are the only option to be considered. It’s all about focus.
As our society gets busier and flooded with advertising everywhere we look, competing against the noise is futile. So, don’t try to contend with everyone else. Carve out your own space. Use marketing to get in front of people where you are the only option for consideration in the moment. Six examples include:
1. Email campaigns or newsletters
When people read email, they do it singularly one at a time. Email marketing enables you to be the only option in someone’s mind at the time. In contrast, social media tends to flood users with multiple posts simultaneously and distract the readers’ attention.
2. Public speaking
Standing on stage in front of people is the strongest way to emotionally engage and hold a crowd’s attention, assuming you’re a proficient speaker, which is a skill anyone can learn and employ.
3. Blog posts and website freebies
Like email, people read blog posts and website freebies in a singular fashion and place their focus on the article. Promoting your products and services through your own blog and getting reviewed on other blogs is great way to help single yourself out from the crowd.
4. Books, magazines, and newspapers
Writing a traditionally-published book is the pinnacle of holding people’s attention. Reading a book not only commands attention, it commands respects and positions you and your brand as an authority. Interviews in magazines and newspapers can also help.
5. Direct mail
Print newsletters, postcards, and hand-written notes are effective than ever at drawing a singular focus from consumers, especially in the electronic age. The cost is usually less than you think and it’s never been easier to create great-looking pieces on your own.
6. TV advertising
TV is still the heavyweight champion of advertising. Household viewership has remained constant, even with the rise of YouTube, Netflix, and DVR devices. A television ad allows the luxury of combining imagery, sound, and language to grab someone’s attention and hold it long enough to leave a memory. Affordable rates are possible through regional packages or after-peak hour programs.
Why fight against the crowd to market your products and services? Avoid the herd altogether. Whether you’re an individual or a large organization, focus your marketing efforts on options where consumers can focus on you.
Aperture photo courtesy of suphakit73 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
