The best marketers know that what worked before does not necessarily work today.
The old idea of “push” marketing has now been replaced. It is not even “pull” marketing. Today, the key is to be able to persuade people in a pleasant way to embrace you, your products and your services.
Today, things are different. You can’t force people to watch your ads. There are so many choices that people are programmed to flip channels at light speed. We have a whole generation trained in “the art of the delete Kkey” when it comes to junk mail.
I recently conducted a training session with some very sophisticated marketers struggling with the new reality of selling. Social media is about connecting with people. That feeling has permeated over into other areas of doing business as well.
So, if you can’t push something on the public so they’ll buy, what can a serious marketer do?
Focus on relationship marketing.
This is how you attract people. Build quality, mutually-beneficial relationships in business.
Generate customer interest
It has been said since long ago that “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” That is true.
However, if you give the horse some salt beforehand (I don’t recommend this all, but work with me just for the sake of illustration), you’ll vastly increase the chances that the horse will want your water. Also, if you make the environment “hot” for your message, that horse will be mighty thirsty!
So what “salt” can you, as a relationship marketer, give to horses (read, your potential clients, customers, buyers) that will make them want to “drink?” Today, it is different from before, but certain essentials remain the same.
Today, you have to generate incredible interest in what it is you’re doing. You have to provide serious value — as defined by your buyers, not you. What is it that they are looking for? What is it that they need? How can you help them achieve resolution of their problems and the issues that confront them?
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