Marketing magic begins with ageless principles. These are basics without borders. They apply whether you are a professional such as a technology consultant or financial advisor, a retailer selling old LPs, or a service provider of alarm systems.

First, we start at the ultimate starting line -- with you the marketer.

Timeless Marketing Principle #1
Being Open Minded Is Fundamental To Success

We're talking about a positive and receptive mind. Conversely, not being open minded is the biggest reason business owners miss out on opportunities and fail to reach their vision for their businesses

There is an addendum to this principle: Be especially alert for marketing tools from businesses outside your field.

No field has a lock on all the most successful ideas. There's a refreshing torrent of new and profitable ideas out there. Refuse to slam the door on fresh possibilities.

Timeless Marketing Principle #2
Commit to Marketing

That means assign adequate resources -- your time, money, and people -- to marketing.

For many business owners, time becomes a humongous barrier. How much time are we talking about? It's your call. How about one day a week or 20 percent of your time? Or could you set aside the first two hours every morning before you have to deal with the demanding details of your business?

Or you can view marketing as Bob Stupak, the hotel and casino owner, did.

"I can hire terrific, qualified people to do just about everything else, but marketing is what brings in the people, brings in the money, so that's what I do. I have over 100 marketing methods working at one time."

Give it all you can.

Ruthlessly remove items of lesser importance gnawing at your precious resources. Once you start seeing rewards from your dedication to marketing it becomes easier and easier to make this marketing investment.

Timeless Marketing Principle #3
Arm Yourself With A Bottomless Understanding Of Your
Prospects? and Clients? Needs And Desires

Here's one example. An accountant started a business setting up a national network of Certified Public Accountants to sell investment products. After working on the project for two years, he attracted only 100 accountant representatives.

Then, he changed his direct-response letter to explain precisely how the venture would benefit the accountants? clients and, of course, the accountants.

Within the next year he had signed on 600 representatives. That's 6 times more reps in one year all because of the accountant's grasp of the benefits that would prompt his prospects to act.

Timeless Marketing Principle #4
Discover Your Uniqueness And
Become The Only Game In Town

Build your USP, best known as your Unique Selling Proposition. Our mentor Jay Abraham describes its value colorfully:

A business without a USP is like "a rudderless, nondescript, non-appealing, parasitic business that tries to feed solely upon the sheer momentum of the marketplace."

Strong words!

We call the USP your "Unique Strategic Positioning." The reason why is because it's not a clever phrase you can paste onto your business and expect success. It's a strategic decision about the core of your business. Who are you? How can you stand out from everyone else in your field?

Your USP encompasses:
- your target market and their needs and desires,
- your vision for your business,
- your passion,
- your strengths, and
- what others in your field can't or won't do.

Creating the right individuality puts you in a Category of One. An inspiring example comes from the L.L. Bean story. The company founder's passion was the outdoors, specifically Maine's outdoors. And that provided such overriding pleasure to him that he wanted everyone to experience that joy. That was his vision. His products centered on his way of life and enabled him to share his happiness.

Timeless Marketing Principle #5
Form Your Marketing Plan And Plan For Success

Simply, not having a plan is a formula for mediocrity. You can do a whole lot better than wait for something to happen. The most profitable plan starts with your understanding of your target market and adds your Unique Strategic Positioning.

And what's more, it arranges for multiple contacts over time through various media to the same people. Why? People forget, their situations change, or they simply may need time to develop confidence in you and your offerings.

Remember, though, that having a plan is not enough. Faithfully acting on your plan (and modifying it to reflect results) arms you with a sharp competitive edge.

These five timeless marketing principles can become the ultimate success "secret" for your business.