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By Vishal P. Rao
Marketing successfully requires not only insight into how a
product or service can be successfully marketed but also
flexibility into the marketing of a product or service.
This is one of the marketing principles that doesn't seem to
be taught successfully. Too many times, the "marketing
gurus" will promote a type of marketing that has worked for
them to the exclusion of all other types of marketing.
Now the type of marketing they promote may very well have
worked well for them, but it is folly to believe that one
marketing method and one marketing method only will work for
every product or service everywhere. This just is not the
reality as marketing methods can be as unique as the
products and services that are marketed.
Innovation, creativity and flexibility are needed in any
type of marketing efforts. Trying several types of marketing
is usually the best method of eliminating marketing methods
that fail, and determining which marketing methods are
successful.
Online business or any type of business for that matter
demands perseverance and determination. Perseverance and
determination are also promoted heavily by the marketing
gurus. However, perseverance and determination does NOT mean
sticking with a marketing method that is incorrect for the
product or service or NOT producing any results. It does not
mean continuing self-defeating marketing methods over and
over at a loss each and every month.
To prove a point about the misconceptions sometimes promoted
by the marketing gurus and the misconceptions others may
have about perseverance in general, I've used two actual
case studies below:
A. Case Study #1 is a young male who started an online
business many years ago promoting marketing resources and
marketing strategies. He had many fine offerings that were
of great value, as he spent much time and energy researching
and developing resources. He read many manuals from
marketing gurus, who stressed a lot on list building and e-
mail marketing.
This young man, following the marketing guru's advice, spent
much time and energy for years, e-mailing others
relentlessly, swapping ads for further exposure, writing
articles in other newsletters and e-zines, and trying every
"trick" of e-mail marketing to no avail. He also persisted
in this strategy as he had taken to heart the principle of
"never quitting" quite literally, which the gurus had
promoted so heartily to him.
He lost quite a great deal of time and money until he
noticed that his Web site had been ranking quite well in the
Search Engines (after all, he had great content). Most of
the few sales he had been making were coming directly from
his Web site, despite the fact that he did not believe in
(and dreaded) Search Engine marketing! He rethought the
whole process and his approach, and began focussing on
marketing his resources strictly from his Web site, applying
his perseverance and determination to that, with incredible
success ever since!
B. Case Study #2 is a middle aged female who approached the
marketing somewhat differently, as she had read a manual
from a different marketing guru. She was promoting a
customized service, rather than a product, and the guru,
whose advice she followed, firmly believed in Search Engine
marketing, and Search Engine marketing alone. She spent
literally tons of money, and tons of time, getting her Web
site to the top of the Search Engines.
Like Case Study #1, she felt that if she only gave it enough
time, and persevered, sales would be made. As time went on,
she discovered that most of her sales were being made
through her e-mail marketing. Her articles, ad swapping, and
other e-mail marketing efforts (she published routinely her
own newsletters and e-zines), were leading to more clients
than those which were attained off her Web site. In her
case, e-mail marketing was the "key" to success, but she
also was following the mandates of the wrong marketing guru.
The above two studies highlight the folly of blindly
following the mandates of any marketing guru. While many do
have good solid advice to give, the business owner must
possess enough flexibility to test many methods. Creativity
and an open mind help immensely when determining marketing
methods.
Perseverance and dedication are important, of course. But
they must be applied correctly, along with flexibility and
innovation, for success to occur in a business. All avenues
should be pursued with perseverance and dedication and then
choices of marketing methods made based upon the results.
After all, results are what make a marketing method
successful! Without results, any marketing method is a
dismal failure.
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Vishal P. Rao is the owner of
Home Based Business Opportunities
- One of Internet's leading website dedicated to starting,
managing and marketing a home based business.
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