Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Give me your money -
I’ve got a product for you!
Unfortunately, too many marketing messages boil down to not much more than a self-serving pitch – if you’ve got money to spend, I’ve got products and services for you to buy. Because of such superficial communications, buyers have become masters of filtering, deleting without reading, and screening calls (to name just a few) to avoid this garbage. And, if the recipients of these flimsy marketing pitches weren’t so busy trashing them, they might just be insulted, not just merely annoyed, at the person and brand sending the message.
How much better would it be to make your message more like a valentine?
Valentine’s Day is all about relationships. Relationships are all about caring. Relationships take time to develop. And the best relationships are usually bolstered by an attitude of giving versus an attitude of getting.
The Duct Tape Marketing network believes in the Marketing Hourglass. The Marketing Hourglass reminds us to assist the prospect in their journey through Know, Like, Trust, Try, Buy, Refer, Repeat. That means treating our prospect in a special way. It’s Valentine’s Day every day.
Valentine’s Day is all about making someone feel special. Does our marketing approach make people feel special? Or is it merely lowest common denominator messaging: here’s what I sell, are you ready to buy?
Valentine’s Day is a few days away. Why not select 3 customers, 3 prospects, 3 referral partners and 3 influencers to send a personal note to?
Look to compliment their contributions to the community or the industry. You might also talk about a way in which they’ve impressed you, something they’ve done or said that made an impact and either affirmed your approach or caused you to change your approach. You might thank them for their business and their kind words about your business. You might praise an article they’ve written or congratulate them on any recognition they’ve received.
When you reach out to them – think about making the vehicle of your message radically different than the typical communication they receive in the course of a day. Why not buy 12 valentines and hand-write your note? Or, couple your note with something (a little gift) that makes for a 3-dimensional or lumpy mailing – curiosity about what might be inside means it will get opened.
When you make them feel special, you differentiate yourself from the hundreds who would rather spam and play a losing numbers game.
Let your marketing valentine communicate:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Here’s what I think
Is remarkable about you!
About Dawn Westerberg
Dawn Westerberg http://dawnwesterberg.com/ invites business owners to "fall in love with your business again" through sound marketing strategies that bring results and profits. An Authorized Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Dawn Westerberg serves clients throughout the United States and Canada. She publishes a blog on B2B Marketing http://feeds.feedburner.com/DawnWesterbergConsultingLlc.
