The Ten Commandments Of Marketing

Writen by Alison Shaw

1. The philosophy of "build it and they will come" only works in the movies – marketing is essential to the success of any business, ignore it and your business will fail.

2. Marketing is not like Christmas, you can't just do it once a year – marketing is one of those ongoing activities in your business that you keep building and building. It's not a one off exercise.

3. Who are you? Before you can tell your customers who you are you need to know who you are. Ask yourself the questions – who am I aiming at, what does my business stand for, what is the idea or image I want to portray?

4. Who are your customers and do they fit you? Trying to be all things to all people is a sure fire way to fail. Pick those markets that you want to deal with, markets that suit you and the way you operate and then develop product that those markets will want to purchase.

5. Be different – Differentiate yourself from you competitors and then you won't compete on price. There are many companies that sell fried chicken in this world, but only one that has "the kernel's secret herbs and spices". If your product is different not only will you remain for longer in the customers mind, but you will be able to charge more for your services.

6. Lazy marketing is expensive and doesn't always work. Many people when they think of marketing they think of advertising, which often is the most expensive and least effective form of marketing. Look at alternatives that may take more of your time but less cash such as email marketing,

7. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Ensure that your image, your copy and everything about your marketing is consistent. Repetition is the key.

8. Do it right the first time – Save yourself a lot of heart ache, time and money by getting your marketing right the first time. Spend the time and money on getting a great logo the first time and you won't have to redo all your marketing material down the track.

9. Get organised, put it into a strategy and "just do it". Marketing is 1 % knowledge and 99% action. Get a plan, put in time lines, and set aside the time every week to market your business.

10. You need to be addicted to marketing. If not, hire someone who is.

Alison Shaw Ripple Massage www.ripplemassage.com.au info@ripplemassage.com.au 0438 567 906