What does it mean to have a well balanced marketing plate?

Marketing consists of many components, but simply put marketing is about promoting your business through the know, like, trust factors.

KNOW: We start by exposing people to who we are

Via our content and messaging on our websites, social media sites, brick & mortar stores, and other collateral material.
Networking is a way to gain exposure as is teaching or training and advertising.

LIKE:  People will start to resonate with us

So how do we get people to like what we have to say, and I mean more than clicking the “Like” button on Facebook. Sometimes I think we forget that we are people first and business owners second. Often we do business with people we like and that can be for a variety of reasons such as clicking with someone’s personality, sharing common interests and having respect for the business knowledge and experience.  In business we tend to like people that offer us value, are givers and show us that they care about our success.   Sharing your personal story is a powerful way to build a relationship with your prospects, those who can resonate with your story will stick around to learn more.

TRUST: You’ve now built credibility

I believe trust and credibility go hand in hand.  When we exhibit true credibility through through what we give and share social proof that others have found trust in what we have to say, than we too will begin to trust.  In business when you provide great content that your prospects find value in and you see social proof through testimonials or referrals we discover trust.   Once trust is established prospects turn into customers!

{TWEET THIS} “Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.”  ~ Seth Godin

Steps to marketing your business

1.) Develop a strategy before you implement the tactics.  So often I see people putting the proverbial cart before the horse where they are busy posting their latest and greatest offer on social media with no strategy as to why and what results they will gain.

2.) Have you narrowly defined your target market?  Do you know the characteristics of your ideal client and where to find them?

3.) How are you different than your competition?  Can you clearly show how you are different?  If not most people defer to price.

4.) What would your target market expect from you?  If you have an email list, how often to you poll your followers and ask what challenges you can solve for them.

5.) Do you take the time to engage with your online audience? or are you shouting into cyber space hoping someone is listening.

6.) And finally are your leads converting into business? after all isn’t that why you are in business to make profits?

So how are you balancing your marketing plate?  What is working for you?  Please share in the comments below, I’d love to hear some successes that all the readers can benefit from.