Articles
March 2008
What's the Secret to
Entrepreneurial Success? Develop a Remarkable Marketing Plan!
A discussion of marketing lessons in Seth Godin's best seller - "Purple Cow:
Transform Your Company by Being Remarkable"
(Portfolio Hardcover, 2003)
Seth Godin’s book, Purple Cow, is fantastic because it explores key business development concepts and contains tons of lessons about creating “remarkable” product.
According to Seth, the current business environment (i.e., market “over-saturation”), makes it almost pointless for companies to simply market to the masses. Why? Because the products and services that are mass-marketed will not be noticed, causing both new and established businesses to falter and fail. Your clients and customers (let’s just call them consumers) want to feel special – and they want to feel that your services and products are just for them.
This article is all about applying the lessons in Seth’s book to develop your own “remarkable” marketing plan - “Purple Marketing”.
At UpwardAction, we help clients develop Purple Marketing plans by focusing on two steps. First, our clients pay particular attention to specific groups of people. Then, our clients focus on methods of staying in touch with clients, prospective clients and people of influence.
Step One: Focus on Consumers
Seth identifies three categories of consumers to whom you should pay particular attention when marketing.
Loyal Customers. Marketing experts agree that there are only four types of customers – prospects, customers, loyal customers and former customers. Seth reinforces that of these four types of customers, loyal customers are the most important. This is because loyal customers are repeat consumers who will continue to spend money on your projects and services. As an entrepreneur, it is important to remember that it is much easier to keep a current customer than it is to recruit a new customer. In your everyday business activities, this translates into (1) developing new products and services to solve your current (and former) consumers’ problems and (2) creating effective ways to stay in contact with them.
Sneezers. According to Seth, an "idea virus" is an innovative idea, service or product that spreads rapidly and a "sneezer" is the person who spreads it. The “sneezer” becomes a recognized authority within a group, and becomes known for being in touch with the latest and greatest products and services available in the marketplace. Every market has a few sneezers. Locating and impressing the “sneezers” in your target area is essential to your accelerated success. In fact, in today’s marketplace, it is practically useless to advertise to anyone except “sneezers” with influence. Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Back Bay Books, 2002) refers to these types of people "connectors."
Niche Group. The best way to create an “idea virus” is to customize your services or products to meet the needs of a particular group of people. This process of targeting a niche or sub-section of the market (instead of the entire marketplace) that has a need for your services and products is called creating a “niche” market. The smaller your target market, the greater percentage your "sneezers" will be able to reach, propelling your success.
Step Two: Stay Connected
Now that you are in-tune with your market, it is important to stay connected.
Get permission from your audience/market to alert them the next time you have a new program, product or service that will be of value to them or folks in their circles. The best way to do this is by creating an opt-in email list and maintaining a customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Keep in touch with your target market on a consistent basis via a blog and/or newsletter. This allows you to build trust with those in your target market while establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
Spend time building relationships with the “sneezers” in
your market and find ways to give them the tools they need (details,
benefits, success stories) to spread your own “idea virus”.
At its core, Purple Cow Marketing requires that you stop promoting to the masses, create innovate marketing plans for specific groups of people and stay in touch with your target market.
You already have an entrepreneurial spirit. Now that you know the process for Purple Cow Marketing, get out there and make your business a raging success!
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Copyright © 2008, T.C. Coleman
About the Author:
T.C. Coleman, JD, Success Coach for Entrepreneurial Lawyers and Leaders, founder of www.upwardaction.com and creator of Social Media & Networking Success, teaches lawyers, accountants, consultants, online entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals how to build successful, profitable and sustainable businesses. For FREE business development, branding and social media strategy tips, visit www.upwardaction.com/enewsletter.htm .
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