Photo courtesy www.seoboy.com
by Jaimie Siegle | Advertising Systems, Inc.
In his latest blog, marketing guru Seth Godin posted a metaphorical pop quiz: How do you market something to a room of a hundred random people?
Many think the answer is mass marketing, or distributing the same message to a random assortment of individuals to create a viral buzz. This strategy, however, is ineffective for most small businesses and can be outrageously costly.
According to Godin, the solution to marketing success in today’s marketing climate is simple: “Create a remarkable product or service, don’t depend on getting picked to have a lucky break … and gradually spread your purple cow among people who are truly interested.”
Godin’s strategy boils down to quality over quantity and, ultimately, your marketing ROI.
As it turns out, selective marketing is a rising trend in digital strategy. In a recent AdAge.com article called “Not All Customers Are Created Equal,” small business owners were urged to market to the customers who are most likely to support the business in the future.
“Know which customers buy more or have the potential to buy more, or have greater influence. And invest accordingly,” wrote Tim Suther, chief marketing officer of Acxiom.
Perhaps the most important nugget of advice one can gather from Godin’s post is to remain loyal to your brand and its message, and strive to find the customers who will do the same.
“You are far more likely to do your best work if you are willing to delight a few as opposed to soothe the masses,” Godin said.
