Come on guys, admit it, when it comes to your marketing, you tend to be a bit, well, selfish. So, with Valentine’s Day looming on the horizon, I want you to start giving a little more.
Before I explain WHY I think most people are guilty of ‘selfish” marketing, a little limerick for your delectation.
Covid is red
But please don’t be blue
Because mastering the media
Is simple to do
You start with your buyer
The ideal punter
Then get researching
Become a true hunter
Discover their pain points
What makes them bemused
Then look at the media
They tend to peruse
Now make the switch
Stop selling, just share
Become their new teacher
Show them you care
The media will thank you
With coverage galore
And you’ll get the leads in
And oh so much more!
You see, when it comes to a lot of marketing and with PR in particular, too many business owners focus on themselves. I’m not talking purely about “weeing” all over the copy – “We do this, We do that, We are great” – I mean that there is often very little in the campaigns and messaging for anyone else. There’s no value.
That is why so much of the ‘content marketing’ that gets spewed out is ignored. It is simply too sales focused. It isn’t shedding a new light on a topic, it isn’t clarifying an issue, debunking a myth or basically being helpful.
This is where things fall down so badly when people try to work with the media through PR. I mean the clue is there in the name…Public RELATIONS. It is a two-way street, you and your customer.
Actually, it is really a “three-way” when you add in a journalist but let’s not explore that analogy too far otherwise this magazine will have to reside on the top shelf!
Suffice it to say that there has to be something in it for everyone when you are working on building your profile and RELATIONSHIP with the press. First, you need to enlighten, inform, or entertain the customer. You then need to help the reporter to sell more clicks and/or copies or generate social buzz. Only then can you be selfish about your real motives, which is basically to sell but from a position of authority.
Let’s stick with the Valentine’s example.
If you are a florist and want to generate media coverage, it is no good asking a reporter to write about how good you are at your job unless;
- You have just won an award
- Expanded your business
- Created a totally unique bouquet of flowers
What you need to do is be USEFUL to the reporter and the reader/audience – aka your potential punter.
- Explain which flowers are on trend this year
- Discuss how the pandemic has changed the market
- Share how to keep your flowers fresher for longer
Do you see how that content is useful?
It is not an advert proclaiming (without proof) that “We are the best florist in all of town,” it is positioning you as the best florist in all of town because you are being so generous with your advice that you don’t even NEED to sell. Once you master that, pricing becomes irrelevant, instead it is all about service, delivery and experience.
If you think that this approach would make a difference to your offering, give it a go. If you need some inspiration, just yell, I’m more than happy to give you some free tips.
No flowery language needed, remember I’m a giver!