You may be engaged in a marketing activities that are working against you. Or, at the very least, are making sales more difficult. It's a common problem - marketing that focuses on what your company can DO and what your company KNOWS and how much experience you HAVE.

Surprise! This doesn't work.

Instead of focusing on YOU, market yourself as an innovative problem solver. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easily this approach attracts new customers. Emphasize how your service or problem fixes their nagging issue, pain, or dilemma.

It doesn't matter what you offer as long as you keep some basic principles in mind:

1. Self Interest: People (you and me included) want to know what is in it for them. They are interested in useful ideas, services, and products that make something better in their life. Don't talk about YOU. Start talking about THEM.

2. Comfort: People do business with people they know and trust. Start a "conversation" with people by giving them articles, newsletters, or other information that you have created to HELP them. This also allows them to learn more about the way you think and your capabilities

3. Generate Interest: Are you effectively communicating the one thing that makes you unique? What can you offer that no other business can? In one sentence, describe it. This is your Core Marketing Message. Use it over and over to generate interest and get people talking about you.

4. Communication: To have a good relationship, you have to stay in touch. Whether it's family, friends, or leads, this principle is exactly the same. And when prospects are ready to buy, you want them to know YOU provide the best solution. Keep communicating through phone calls, e-mails, lunch dates, and so on.

ACTION ITEM: Are you offering a solution to a problem? Are you communicating regularly? Do you know your core marketing message? If your current marketing materials don't take this approach, rework them. With a focus on THEM, you will easily generate more sales and greater revenue!

Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven, is the owner of Kinesis. Kinesis specializes in marketing, graphic and website design, and business writing. Visit http://www.kinesisinc.com/resources/articles.html for more articles and free marketing wisdom. You can visit her marketing blog, Kinetic Ideas at: http://www.wendy.kinesisinc.com

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