Here are the Marketing Strategies we use to Grow our Businesses

We have spent a good amount of time this past quarter talking about Marketing. From copywriting to defining your segments, to referral strategies and SEO.

There are 2 forms of marketing we have not spent much time on – and they happen to be the primary ways we have built all our businesses.

Thought Leadership Marketing

&

Relationship Marketing

Let’s briefly take a look at these two powerful forms of marketing and how they are used together. 

Thought Leadership Marketing shines a light on you as a leader, an authority and expert, in your industry. 

No matter what industry you are in I guarantee you have information and knowledge to share. Not everyone has that knowledge – and there are many prospects out there that need what you can provide. In today’s world we all have the ability to “Google It” and educate ourselves on nearly every topic …herein lies a few opportunities:

1. They should be able to find YOU, and your expertise as they surf around in an effort to learn or understand more about your industry and the solutions they are seeking.
2. Many people would much rather have a conversation and a guide rather than trying to DIY the solution. Position yourself to be the guide they turn to.

How? Glad you asked – start by turning off your ‘sales brain’ and turning on high your ‘results & solutions brain’. Speak their language and provide solid information that they seek.

This can be done in a variety of ways:

Have a BLOG

Write a LinkedIn Newsletter

Start a YouTube channel or a podcast

Speak at conferences & conventions

Seek out PR opportunities

Write a column for a newspaper or publication

Be a Guest on Podcasts

Publish White Papers & Case Studies

Host events and seminars

Thought Leadership Marketing will show you as a credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable expert in your field. You will stand out from the competition and become more of a ‘real’ person rather than just an advertisement online.

Thought Leadership marketing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone wants to be a public speaker, author or podcast host. However, if you are a business owner or professional it is important to incorporate it, and have it at least be a small portion of your marketing efforts.

Get started by simply answering the 10 most frequently asked questions you receive. They are frequent for a reason – the general public doesn’t have the answers. But you do!

Write them down or create a quick video of each and have them on your website. Use them as social media posts or attach them to emails when you receive the question from someone. Just by doing a little you can increase your authority by a lot!

The simple formula for Thought Leadership Marketing is this:

Enlighten – Educate – Engage

This is where these two marketing strategies intersect – Engage.

To Engage another person requires conversation, face-to-face interaction…it requires relationship.

Relationship Marketing has several sides, yet they all have to do with relatable connection between humans.

It is about rapport, connectivity, relevancy, likeability, understanding, and thoughtful exchanges. It means that you need to focus on the person, not the transaction, and treat prospects like a friend with a problem you want to help them solve.

You want to be a guide, a trusted advisor – not a salesman.

How do you achieve this? Start by detaching yourself from the outcome. Don’t be so focused on the sale that you lose sight of the person in front of you.

You may not win them all right away, but true connections don’t evaporate. They produce advocates, allies, friends, and yes, even sales.

“Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. If comes as a byproduct of providing a useful service.” – Henry Ford

Said another way, true success is measured by the difference we make in people’s lives.

When you place the focus of your attention and efforts on providing value to the world around you, and quit focusing on the inward gains you receive back, you will be astounded by the results. Don’t provide value looking for gratitude. Avoid waiting to give till you get. It isn’t about receiving thanks, praise or reciprocation…it isn’t even about making the sale.

What can you do to gain that level of connection and relationship? It is actually amazingly simple:

Reach out – non-electronically

Send a card or a note

Make an introduction

Invite them to an event

Simply really listen when they talk

Offer advise only when appropriate

Send them some ‘bulk mail’ (a book, a gift, a box of fruit)

Be unexpected – don’t just send a birthday card or a ‘Thank You’ for something they did for you. Give simply for the sake of giving. Send a note of encouragement or find time to help them stay on course for something they are trying to achieve.

All these are easy to implement and leave a lasting positive impression.

In this world of gadgets and superficial electronic relations we are experiencing a drought in the human connection department. Yes, we still have our inner circle, our families, and friends that we are close to. And the extension of our spheres of influence are beyond anything our Grandparents could even begin to conceive.

Here is the best part about these two types of marketing strategies – you already have what it takes, and you already have the know-how.

You are an expert in your field. Don’t feel like one just because others IN your field know more than you or have more experience? Guess what – they might, and there will always be someone that does. But your prospects are not IN your industry. To them, you have more expertise than they do…and they want your knowledge to guide them.

You also know how to cultivate relationships. You certainly have a few in your life now – and they didn’t magically appear. You nurtured them, put time and effort into them, and continue to have conversations and spend time on building those connections stronger. It is the same in your ‘business life’ – you can connect with people you meet during working hours the same way you do when you are on vacation or at a social gathering – and should!

Once you start to shift your mindset to ‘marketing’ yourself as an expert and a human being worth connecting with, you will see a dramatic increase in the demand for your products and services.