Using Technology that was before Houdini’s Day and Age
As we have said many times, Harry Houdini, the escape artist and conjurer extraordinaire, was unbelievably good at self-promotion. He is an inspiration to those who want to make a difference in their community while promoting their career or business.
In America, those who embrace Capitalism often do well. They understand that providing products and services is nothing more than a value exchange for money. In fact, a slightly revised version of the old adage, really is quite true:
- One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
Therefore, for the best results when you are offering something, be sure to get it in front of people who perceive it as treasure.
Hence, there are three basic steps to succeed as a business online.
- PRODUCT sales, in order to work, means that you must be selling something that, from the point of view of a specific group of people, is a product or service that they really, deeply, need. And, in the best-case scenario, you are the only person or business who can fill this need due to possible expertise or acquisition. This of course means they have to go to you to get that thing they need.
- AUDIENCE is the group of people who are most likely to buy what you are selling, plus, you need to reach them at the exact moment they are ready to purchase what you are offer.
- DELIVERY means having a customer friendly and easy for them to do mechanism to get what they buy from you. If it is a digital product, the delivery can be immediate, whereas if it is a physical product it needs to be shipped. Services can be delivered online, such as via Zoom if you are offering consulting. Plus, certain kinds of businesses may require being in-person.
Downside of what it Takes to Get Your Ad in front of the Right Consumer
Here though is the problem. At this point in the web world, if you want to target a specific demographic it is tough to bypass purchasing ads from search engine and social media entities. This is by design of course, because search and social sites are developed as platforms to sell ads to customers. Websites like these, devise something they can give away for “free,” in exchange for you giving them your personal information, including your name, age, hobbies, home address and more.
What is Done with User Information on Social and Search Sites
Info consisting of your private information is collected because, as covered in the social media or search engine’s “Terms of Service” that you sign off on when you are starting up your account. This means that you are essentially giving them permission to do whatever they want to with your personal information. There are still some people who do not read the fine print, or even know that they are a part of a demographic which is sold to those buying ads on the site or is likely also being sold to other companies for their use.
Social and Search Platforms Make It Harder and Harder for Businesses Being able to Get Free Promotion
Because search and social sites were created in the first place to sell ads via demographics they collected from users, it does not behoove these entities to allow businesses such as yours to be able promote via their platforms without paying for it. Hence, search and social sites make it increasingly more difficult for entrepreneurs to be able to promote themselves therefore not having a choice except to buy ads.
Again, the reality is that search engines and social media websites were not created for the good of humanity but have capitalistic agendas.
Of course, you could develop your own social site that does something users want such as a means of communicating among themselves, and those who, like you, want to reach certain members of the public to sell to them.
“Free” Ways to Promote Yourself or Your Business
So, what can you do for free to promote yourself or your business? There are essentially three basic ways to do so including groups, SEO and video.
- GROUPS Some entrepreneurs join social media groups or participate in online forums with a topic that relates to what they are selling, then position themselves as an expert in the collective, hoping the result will be get business from members.
- SEO You can also of course do SEO, Search Engine Optimization, but unless you already know how to do it, your options are paying someone to do it for you or learning how to do it yourself.
- VIDEO If you have the motivation, or maybe even enjoy the process, you could get a channel for free on the most popular video site in the world today and create videos daily. If you do videos that promote yourself as an expert while teaching people how to use whatever product or service, are that you offer, this might be right for you. But to build an audience of members and viewers takes time and you must do videos daily to get traffic coming to you.
Some of the Other Pretty Much “Free” Ways You Can Do Marketing
Of course, there are also blogs, affiliate marketing and so on that are other options to build an audience and sell to them, but unless you already know, or are willing to learn, you will need to hire someone to help you.
Sell with Emotion
In order to make sales of your product or service you must be able to present it in such a way as to emotionally resonate with the prospect. Studies have shown that people make purchases more out of emotion than logic. You need to present what you are selling in a way emotionally that is most likely to sway them.
Know Your Prospect or be One Yourself
Since prospects buy more from a place of emotion than rationality, this is why you need to understand those who you are trying to reach and sell to. What are their triggers? What will reach them on a level that plays to their feelings. Get insides their head and understand why they want what you are selling, then go with that information. If you are a customer yourself for what you are selling, this will be easier, because you can think “What would make me buy?
Why Data is Important
Data is important as a guide, because even if you inherently understand why your customers buy from you, audiences can change based on a number of different things such as the pandemic. This changed the lifestyle of customers so certain kinds of businesses closed, mostly those in retail because customers no longer would come in-person to their place of business. Came to their stores. And many online-only businesses did well because people spent more time on the web.
Be a Problem Solver
It cannot be stressed enough that the role of your business is that you and your business are problem solvers. You offer a solution for those who have the need for what you are selling.
Needs Can Vary
As we learned in 1943 from Abraham Maslow with his “Theory of Human Motivation” needs can be seen through a lens of hierarchy of 5 kinds of needs, starting with the most immediately pressing to those that are more abstract. It can be a useful exercise, for those who are promoting themselves or their business.
- PHYSICAL is the need for air, water, food, rest and health.
- SECURITY is the need for safety, shelter and stability.
- SOCIAL is the need for being loved, belonging and inclusion.
- EGO is the need for self-esteem, power, recognition and prestige.
- SELF ACTUALIZATION is the need for development and creativity.
Your Business and Marketing Needs
You may have already experienced Maslow’s work over the years, but it is worth taking a second look at his hierarchy in conjunction with his “Theory of Human Motivation.”. This is because you can find out where your business stands in relation to human motivation which is vital for your Business and Marketing.
When you really think about it, this is an extraordinary resource for understanding where what you offer falls in the spectrum and therefore can provide you with information regarding steps to promote yourself or business.
Here are 4 Important Things You Must Have to Succeed Long Term with Your Online Business
These are aspects you already know, but none of us should forget.
- VALUE Because you want those who see what you are offering as being treasure.
- QUALITY Because although they see perceived value, if what you are selling is junk, you will have issues.
- CUSTOMER SERVICE Because if they need help but receive poor treatment, you lose.
- DELIVERY Because delivery without problems must be the norm or you will have a lot to deal with.