5 Simple Questions to ask in Marketing
Strong, effective marketing can be tricky and many firms make mistakes that can be avoided by asking 5 simple questions before each marketing effort. What? Who? Why? When? Where? These five questions can make a huge difference in how well a marketing piece works.
What ...
... is the product and service that you want to let your prospective clients know about? What are the distinct features or value that you are offering? It is essential to know what it is so that you can properly market it.
Who ...
... is your target market you would like to reach? Who do want to be made aware of your great new product or service? Unless you are trying to market a magic pill that cures all ailments, you most likely have a certain group that you will be trying to get your message out to. Who is that group and how do you specifically tailor your message to them? By knowing who this target group is, you can make a more educated decision when marketing to them.
Why ...
... would your target group want to purchase your product or service? You must be able to convey to your target group that you are offering something that they need or want. This doesn’t have to be done in great depth, but you want enough to catch the prospect’s eye so that they will take the time to think about it and become interested in your offering.
When ...
... do you want to reach your target market? There should be a timeframe to follow for every marketing effort. Schedule your marketing efforts when your target group will be most likely be able to focus on it. For example, tax season is not a good time to market to accounting firms.
Where ...
... are you going to place your marketing to have the greatest impact? Will you place an ad in the newspaper because you know that a large majority of your prospects read the daily newspaper? Will you send a targeted email or letter? Will you place an ad in an industry-specific magazine? Finding the best place to target your prospects will make it much easier to get your marketing in front of them.
Answering all of these questions when planning your marketing efforts will help get you on the right track to improved marketing efforts. Marketing should be done once you are able to speak on the five basic questions, because you will have taken the proper steps to determine the best way to target your audience.