Authenticity
There is an irony in marketing. The most successful technique to attract new clients and profitable business occurs naturally. You do nothing, and the clients arrive. Your business is successful, it seems, almost without effort.
The reason you are successful has much less to your marketing methodology than your authenticity. Your business rings true with clients in such an effective and evocative manner that they love doing business with you. They tell their friends, who try you out. And these friends are so satisfied, they tell their friends. Your restraint on growth is not a lack of clients -- it is your capacity to administer and oversee the right kind of employees who will ensure your business model and standards are maintained.
Compare this approach to the "traditional" marketing concepts which involve quite a bit of gaming and manipulation. In the worst excesses, you pound enough people with your message, in the most abrupt and least costly manner possible, so that even if a few decide to try your service out, you can make some cash. Hmm. Think spam. Or telemarketing calls. Or, worse, computerized telemarketing calls telling you "you qualify for a mortgage". Fun ... not.
Or think about publicity, blogs, and communication techniques designed to get you to buy something. Sometimes this stuff works, really well. Just don't be caught running a mine in Utah. People can often see through though your BS. If they don't, they may fall for your gimmick once or twice; but will they buy more, permanently.
So, is it really true, the saying: "If you need to sell it, why would anyone buy it?" Partly, I think. If, for example, you are in the business of designing hospitals, or building post offices, or if you are a renovation siding contractor, you had better be darn good at what you do for the natural marketing to take place. (Or, at least, the only one anywhere nearby designing hospitals, or installing siding. Think post-Katrina Louisiana.)
The partly is that you CAN use marketing skills and techniques to enhance, encourage, and amplify the natural processes, if you are authentic, sincere, and your underlying values are clear. You can justify the marketing costs in an incremental, logical manner. Your payback from effective marketing can far exceed your existing business structure, and take you to a new level of success.
Be real.
There is an irony in marketing. The most successful technique to attract new clients and profitable business occurs naturally. You do nothing, and the clients arrive. Your business is successful, it seems, almost without effort.
The reason you are successful has much less to your marketing methodology than your authenticity. Your business rings true with clients in such an effective and evocative manner that they love doing business with you. They tell their friends, who try you out. And these friends are so satisfied, they tell their friends. Your restraint on growth is not a lack of clients -- it is your capacity to administer and oversee the right kind of employees who will ensure your business model and standards are maintained.
Compare this approach to the "traditional" marketing concepts which involve quite a bit of gaming and manipulation. In the worst excesses, you pound enough people with your message, in the most abrupt and least costly manner possible, so that even if a few decide to try your service out, you can make some cash. Hmm. Think spam. Or telemarketing calls. Or, worse, computerized telemarketing calls telling you "you qualify for a mortgage". Fun ... not.
Or think about publicity, blogs, and communication techniques designed to get you to buy something. Sometimes this stuff works, really well. Just don't be caught running a mine in Utah. People can often see through though your BS. If they don't, they may fall for your gimmick once or twice; but will they buy more, permanently.
So, is it really true, the saying: "If you need to sell it, why would anyone buy it?" Partly, I think. If, for example, you are in the business of designing hospitals, or building post offices, or if you are a renovation siding contractor, you had better be darn good at what you do for the natural marketing to take place. (Or, at least, the only one anywhere nearby designing hospitals, or installing siding. Think post-Katrina Louisiana.)
The partly is that you CAN use marketing skills and techniques to enhance, encourage, and amplify the natural processes, if you are authentic, sincere, and your underlying values are clear. You can justify the marketing costs in an incremental, logical manner. Your payback from effective marketing can far exceed your existing business structure, and take you to a new level of success.
Be real.
Note: I searched for 'cover art' after writing this article, and discovered this page link to Authenticity: Simple Strategies for Greater Meaning and Purpose at Work and at Home by George and Sedena Cappannelli. Is the book the real thing? Can't be sure -- haven't read it yet. No Amazon.com reviews, either. But there is nothing negative, either, and their points (at least the ones I can see in free previews) ring true to me.
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