Personally, I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms.
So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted.
I didn’t bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or a grasshopper in front of the fish and said, ‘Wouldn’t you like to have that?’
Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?
– Dale Carnegie
Marketing is all about this and some more. Understanding your customers and what they want is primary and finding the right bait (read ‘connect’) is ever so important. In a constantly evolving market, with formidable competitors its crucial to have a sound marketing strategy. I have always encouraged my clients to first zone in on the correct target audience for their product and service and then start planning on how to ‘capture their attention’, so much so, that they are convinced in your story and would readily ‘buy’.
Planning a Marketing strategy essentially entails the following steps for my clients:-
1- Understanding Target
2- Creating a Plan to reach the target
3- Implementing strategy
4- Re-evaluating Strategy