Accelerate magazine spring 2016

Page 13

A C C E L E R AT E

NDTHRIFT SALLY

YOUR MARKETING STEP 1 Keep frequent visitors – your fans – interested in the products and services you offer. If you own a service-based company, updating images on your website, adding interesting posts to your social media profiles, including online ad buys to increase brand reach, and creating new and interesting content for them to consume is just like changing items in the store front window.

STEP 2

BY BECKY LIVINGSTON That Sales Person You’ve You’ve probably probably experienced experienced this this once once or or twice twice in in your your life. life. You enter a store and need help finding something. You You enter a store and need help finding something. You ask ask

the the first first sales sales associate associate you you can can find find ifif he/she he/she can can help help you? you? They They say, say, “Sorry, “Sorry, that’s that’s not not my my department.” department.” Then Then simply simply walk walk away. away. How How does does that that make make you you feel? feel?

Invisible? Invisible? Ignored? Ignored? Pissed Pissed off? off? Frustrated? Frustrated? Affirmed Affirmed (that (that people people suck)? suck)? You You may may think think this this only only happens happens in in physical physical businesses; businesses; howhowever, ever, II can can assure assure you you itit takes takes place place with with online online and and serviceservice-

Be like me. According to Andrew N. Meltzoff’s article “Like me: based based businesses businesses as as well. well. a foundation for social cognition”… “we believe others have

psychological states much like ours.” What does this mean for As As aa CEO, CEO, it’s it’s your your job job to to find find the the right right brand brand ambassadors ambassadors for you as a CEO? When you’re trying to attract a certain buyer, for your products services to help market your products andand services to help youyou market andand sellsell them. you must think, act, and “be” like them to draw their attention. Congregate where they live, eat, and hang out. Speak like them using the same tone, cadence, and grammar. Share stories they are likely to listen to. Dress like them. Act like them. Be them! Basically creating an environment that says, “Hey, I’m welcome here.”

STEP 3 Change things around now and again. Even if you’re a service-based company, updating a photo on a service page, changing banner images in social media, or swapping header

them. Oneapple bad apple can cause a deal greatofdeal of in harm in a peOne bad can cause a great harm a short short period On side, the flip side, staff having staff that emriod of time.of Ontime. the flip having that embrace your

brace and embody yourmission company mission is gold. causeyour and cause embody your company is gold. What What does does this this have have to to do do with with marketing marketing and and your your return return on on investment? investment? Everything! Everything! Having Having the the right right people people on on board board

who who deal deal with with anyone anyone at at any any level, level, from from customers customers to to supsupport port teams to third-party vendors, the right attitude teams to third-party vendors, and and havehave the right attitude can can create a first impression…that sticks. create a first impression…that sticks.

Taso Taso Du Du Val, Val, CEO CEO and and cofounder cofounder of of the the successful successful talent talent netnetwork Toptal, emphasizes importance of investing in work Toptal, emphasizes thethe importance of investing in smart,

smart, motivated regardless of the specific He motivated people,people, regardless of the specific job. Hejob. says, images in email templates can go a long way to generate new says, people determine your product.” In other words, a “Your“Your people determine your product.” In other words, a great interest. Simply changing a call-to-action button on a stan-

dard form can make frequent website visitors think the content is updated or new.

great product cannot be created without people behind product cannot be created without great great people behind it. it. Also, it cannot discovered without great people proAlso, it cannot bebe discovered without great people toto promote mote it. it.

Know KnowYour YourValue Value

I’m I’m not not talking talking about about the the price price of of products products or or services. services. I’m I’m SPRING 2016

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