Insider Marketing Tips

One of the most fascinating marketing books ever written is by Lorin Deland, “Imagination In Business”. It was published in 1909, and even today it is pure genius.

It is believed that he was the first one to ask the question “Why should anyone do business with you over your competition?”.

Deland was a ‘business consultant’ who specialized in sales and marketing at the turn of the century, yet the book reads like it was written just yesterday.

In his book he explains how a retailer came to him for advice. The retailer was on a busy street, and had 4 main competitors on the same block.

He asked Deland how he could garner more business with so much competition.

All of the retail stores were fairly close to each other and all were selling the similar merchandise.

Deland stated that the retailer was really only entitled to one-fifth of the business on the block, as there where in fact 5 stores. He then explained that for every dollar above that amount the retailer wanted to make, there must be a reason why he deserved a bigger share of the marketplace. And he had to create that reason, if he was going to get any more of the business!

Deland also said that if he discovers he’s getting more than his share of the business, he should discover what that reason is, “some customers travel on the line of least resistance, you must make that line of least resistance lead directly to your store”, Deland said.

Deland continued, “Again and again you must ask yourself, ‘Why in the world should these people pass four other stores and come into this one?’”

There has got to be a reason for people to do business with you over your competition. What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that sets you apart from your competition?

Is it a better product? Better service?

You must discover your USP and then show your prospects why they should do business with you, and not your competition.

Previously, we discussed why you must create a Unique Selling Proposition.

Over the years I have had many customers tell me they are afraid to market online because so much information is available for free.

Remember, people buy for their reasons, not ours.

First, nothing EVER sells itself. Just because you have something on your shelf, doesn’t mean customers will be beating down your door to buy it. THERE HAS TO BE A REASON FOR THEM TO BUY IT FROM YOU.

Second, you better give your prospects EVERY REASON you can think of to buy your product. List as many benefits to your product as you can imagine. People buy because of how it will benefit them, and impact their life.

Third, NOTHING is really “FREE”, except maybe the air we breathe.

It is true that there is a lot of FREE information on the Internet. But, is it really FREE? Of course not.

In some cases it’s already been paid for through advertising dollars. In other cases it will still cost you TIME to search for the information.

Time is more valuable than money, because you can always make more money, but you can’t buy more time. Ask any billionaire who has fallen terminally ill.

People are willing to pay for information and save their time if it is:

1. Delivered promptly; 2. Formatted; and 3. Organized.

Some people like information delivered by ink on newsprint.

Some people like information delivered by sound waves from a radio. Still others like to read information in magazines or books or listen to information on audio tapes or on web pages.

People like information delivered, formatted and organized in many different ways, not just one or two.

The question you should be asking yourself is: “Why should people buy my information on the Internet, over all the other available ways it’s currently being delivered, formatted and organized?”

Competition (even from those who ‘give it away’) is NOT the problem. The problem is creativity in a way the translates it into a benefit for your buyers and profits for yourself.