Marketing
Know Your Marketplace
When you understand your market, the odds of converting someone from a visitor to a customer increase exponentially. Use these ideas to boost your online business.
Psychology of the Buyer
Humans, like other species, tend to follow the herd both in action and opinion. They conform to group norms. A herd is any group that moves together. Your herd is a happy customer base, and others will follow this herd if they know it exists. Aggressively compile information about your herd and display this information on your website for all to see. If you don’t have a herd, create one.
Blue Ocean Strategy
If you’re fishing in crowded waters, odds are you won’t catch anything. Fish where no one else is, and the odds are that you’ll land a big catch. Most people in business offer the same products with the same methods that their competitors use. Take a look at your demographic and see where else your customers shop. If you can catch them with the right message in a place they don’t expect to see you, you’ll stand out. You won’t have to shout to be heard.
Maximizing Your Network
The power of One is a remarkable thing. But imagine how much more powerful you can be when you create leverage. By involving your network in your business marketing, your leverage grows exponentially. Each person knows at least 200 others on a first name basis – some as many as 2000. Who do you know who can help put your message across to more prospects? Think of ways to create win-win scenarios by partnering with those in your network.
Cognitive Dissonance
People are uncomfortable when their beliefs and actions are in conflict. They don’t want to find out that their beliefs are wrong. Make it easier for your prospects to make a buying decision by giving them reasons to do so. They will be more comfortable with their decision since the reasons you gave them will make it easier to defend their spending choices. Use scientific data, quotes from experts, polling research – any kind of concrete, credible information to justify a buying decision.
Conformity to Emotions
People tend to mirror the emotions of the group around them. If people associate happy images with your products, they may assume that purchasing your products will make them happy as well. Find the value in showing visuals of emotions – whether those emotions are radiant happiness or serene, assured confidence.
Uncertainty
Nothing can ever be known for certain, because the very act of examining something changes the nature of the entity being examined. Realize that your best efforts at market testing should not yield broad conclusions because you must always be wary of unknown factors. Gather statistical data on your Internet marketing efforts. Use that data to develop probabilities and likely avenues of success, while maintaining the flexibility to change when unknown factors have unplanned effects on your marketing efforts.
A Foot in the Door
Get someone to agree to a small thing first, and it will be much easier to get them to agree to a large thing later. Use simple compelling hooks to draw prospects into your sales process. The hook should not obligate the prospect in any way, or it may scare them off. Analyze your product and develop a free offer. Use this to generate subscriptions to your newsletter.