Apparently, there’s a basketball tournament occurring right now?
We’re a little … busy these days, here in our Newtown Square, PA offices. As we are every year around this time. But apparently, if your bracket is busted, you’re not alone.
Now, we’re under the 3-week mark for when personal taxes are due. Believe it or not, there are some out there who don’t yet think we’re in the “procrastination” stage yet!
But the purpose of this note is to address my business clients, and to continue to offer my thoughts (even in the midst of an extremely hectic time for us) on how to sharpen your saw and bring in MORE revenue for your business.
We can always help you with the cost amelioration side.
But here’s some advice about your marketing. Place this in the “someone has to say it” category, if need be:
Ever been to a cocktail party and your conversation partner just drones on and on about himself and never asks you one question? Careful, my friend … this could be you.
Newtown Square, PA Business Tax Advisor, on Avoiding Marketing Narcissism
This may be the most common problem made by small businesses here in Newtown Square, PA, or anywhere you look: Self-Absorption in Marketing.
Does this seem too obvious? Take a moment right now to quickly click through the marketing emails in your inbox, or even flip through your physical mail.
Answer this question: Are most of the ads telling you what benefits you get if you become a customer? Or, are the ads telling you about the companies, where they are, how wonderful they are, what they do, how great their quality is, how great their service is, and all about them?
95% of the ads are totally focused on the business and not on what the business can do for YOU, the prospect!
Pay attention to advertisements in the newspapers, on television, and on the radio. You’ll find the same thing happening in those places, consistently, every day. This type of selfish advertising falls into the terribly wasteful category of “institutional” advertising.
Institutional advertising produces, at best, deferred results. At worst, institutional advertising is ineffective, unproductive, and a wasteful expense that accomplishes no profitable purpose whatsoever.
You know it’s institutional advertising when it tells you how great the company is, or how old and stable they are, or some other frilly, fancy, cutesy and non-compelling foolishness.
If you are guilty of this, then your selfishness is what kills most of your marketing. From brochures to flyers, sales letters to advertisements, your marketing message should let your prospects know that you are concerned ONLY WITH WHAT THEY WANT!
Anything about you should always come last. Your clients, customers, patrons, patients…whatever you choose to call them, should always come first.
All the marketing materials you create should focus on what the prospects want and need. Every sentence should show that you understand their wants and needs.
Until your marketing efforts focus on the prospects first, your marketing is handicapped.
And so will be your bottom line.
[By the way, here’s a great tool which I found to help determine if your piece is too “we-centered”: http://www.futurenowinc.com/wewe.htm ]
