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[S489]Simple Yes No Questions

by Nnn, Nnn

Many small business owners, remember small is defined as companies with under 500 employees, fail to market themselves and consequently continue to lose market share. The inability to increase sales revenue goes beyond the expertise of your sales staff and is directly tied into your marketing plan.

First, do you have a marketing plan to deliver your marketing message? How are you marketing yourself and your business? Even if you are a Single Office Home Office Business (SOHO) or a home based business, you need a marketing plan. Obviously if you are a larger organization, you understand the value of having such a plan. HINT: If you don't have a plan or have been procrastinating about writing a plan, STOP right now. Find; hire someone to help you write that plan. These plans should be directly tied to your strategic plan of Who Does What By When within your business plan. Read about where to begin at www.processspecialist.com/articles/DoYouKnowandPlanforthe3RsforBusiness.pdf

Second, does your marketing message interrupt your prospect or suspect? What makes your message stop your prospects' behaviors to want to further listen to what you have to say? Look to those now infamous Super Bowl commercials or even the ever-changing ones on television. Why does one commercial literally STOP YOU? Is it the graphics? Is it the music? Is it the content within the message? HINT: Use some measurable term such as double your results, triple your business, increase profits by 100% to interrupt your prospect.

Third, does your marketing message engage your prospect or suspect? OK, now that you have your prospect's attention, how do you keep it? This engagement may be just for a few moments as in those 30-second sound bites we hear every day. Engaging your prospect is critical to the success of your marketing strategies. HINT: At this point, you should be providing some benefits that create the What's In It For Me?

Fourth, does your marketing message educate your intended audience? Can you provide some solid education in your message? Citing proven, documented data or statistics helps to solidify your message.

For example, within our business services, we provide a student leadership development and interpersonal skills program (America's Rising Stars). We let parents know that: “According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average national timeframe to earn a 4 year degree is 5.3 years. Many universities report that it will take 6 years to earn a 4 year degree.” If you are a parent with a college bound student, would this not be a valuable piece of education? Just, imagine how much more money the parents are envisioning that they will be spending. If they have more than one college bound student, the numbers are incredibly high and that vision becomes very, very expensive. Can you see the parents needs as well as their pain? HINT: Connect the education to the needs of your prospect.

Fifth and final question, does your marketing message provide an immediate offer? How many times do you hear? “If you call right now, we will reduce the price by $50? or “Call right now and you will receive 2 for the price of one.” The offer is clearly stated. Why, because the seller, that being you, wants the buyer, that being your prospect, to take action right now, not later, but right now. HINT: Be creative with your message by offering a substantial discount if one buyer secures 10 other buyers.

Remember, you absolutely need a marketing plan where your marketing message interrupts, engages, educates and offers. If your current message is not delivering these 4 objectives, then take some time to rework your plan. You will be simply amazed by how quickly your results double.

Many years ago, Tony Robbins said that the key to getting the right answers was to ask the right questions. There's a certain logic to this statement that's hard to argue with. It almost goes without saying, but, then again, we often need to hear those kind of statements especially as they impact our business.

In order to grow your small business, you've got to have the right answers. But before you get to the promised land, you've got to climb a few mountains. Those mountains are the three questions. And like an intrepid climber, we've got to put one step in front of the other in order to reach our respective peaks.

So, let's get right into the three questions that demand definitive answers if you are going to grow your small business.

Question One - Who do I serve?

Yes, it seems like a no-brainer, but in fact, it's quite the opposite. You'd have to have no-brain if you never took the time to answer this question. That's because absolutely everything about your business depends on an accurate assessment of your target audience. Without this answer, we can't understand the needs of our audience, their business models, or their problems and challenges.

Question Two - What is the single most pressing problem my audience experiences?

Just as a dentist needs new patients, the hardware store down the street also need customers. But it's there that any similarities between the dentist and the hardware store end. Different businesses will face different challenges. These challenges reflect the culture and practice of each business. And unless we know who our customers are, we have no hoe of discovering their challenges.

Question Three - How do I solve these problems?

What? You thought you were a business owner, not a problem solver, right? When it comes down of brass tacks, we're all in business for one purpose, to solve problems. You might be thinking, "Hold on there, Barry. I"m in it for the money." And you'd be partially correct. You see, unless you solve a problem, you won't be paid. It's as simple as that. Yes, you may be a Widget Specialist III by training, but the only thing your client cares about is how they can get over their most challenging issue.

Now it's your turn.

Unless you spend some time digging into these questions, your business will continue to stagnate and you'll likely become a casualty of the war on success. But you're not that type, are you? You want the answers.

The best way to begin is the ask the right questions. Why not dig into these questions right now and see where you end up? I'll bet that you'll discover that the clarity this process brings is not only enlightening, but it positions you and your business for even greater impact.

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Both Nnn & Barry Morris are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Nnn has sinced written about articles on various topics from Advertising Guide, Affiliate Programs and Business Marketing. For More Free Resources visit . Nnn's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.

Barry Morris has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business Marketing. . Barry Morris's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.