Marketing is a Craft.

Marketing is not a science, it is a craft, and how you answer these questions determines your success or failure.

Good marketing starts from the premise that it is about your prospect and not about you or your product. I see many small businesses and professionals trying to start the dialogue about what they can do for the customer before analysing all of the facts. Good marketing answers all of the questions below.

First marketing question you ask is the “Who is Your Market”

Who are they and what do you know about their gender,demographics?
Create a persona about your ideal customer and think about their needs,desires and situation.

Secondly you ask the question “What”

What problem does this market have and what solution can you provide. What are the top 10 questions you get from your ideal customer about their problem and what is your answer. Your product or service should differentiate you in a substantive way from the rest of your competition.

Next question asked is the “When”

Is their problem immediate, is it recurring or long term. Is it seasonal or does it occur every day.

Fourthly you ask the “Why”

Is the solution going to answer why you are the person, service or product that will solve the customers issue or concern. Why should they listen to you if there are many solution providers available. What do your existing customers say about you. Do you have social proof in the form of testimonials.

For the fifth question “Where”

Does this market have a specific geography. What market can you ideally serve and provide solutions where they are. Can your where be in print,video online or is it person where you are.

Finally the “How”question.
How can you provide the solution for them most efficiently, effectively, and in what way. Can you do it as a live service onsite, by an information product or as a ladder of services that your market would buy at the value point , or price you provide it at.

The Basics of Good Marketing

These questions are the basis of you finding out the issue or problem, providing a solution, in a way that your market can use easily and comfortably with the best result for them.

When marketing, do not think of providing any service or product until you can answer all of these questions in your mind, remembering that you should be the expert. You can be that expert if you watch,ask, listen to and answer the points above .

Be bold, be creative and get it done and you will have a solid business experience that is generated from you providing answers to your customers for information that they need to know and want to see you as their solution.
That is what marketing does.