#1 Marketing Strategy: Your Marketing Message

Your marketing message is what forms the background of all your marketing strategies and communications. If your marketing message is weak, unclear or poorly crafted, then it doesn't matter what specific marketing tactics you use...your prospects and customers won't take notice.

The goal is to have a well-written, targeted marketing message that resonates with your target market. You want them to see or hear your marketing message and get an instant reaction of "Hey, that's for me". You want them to go to your website, give you a call, send you an email, ask someone about you - you want them to find out more about you and the solutions you offer.

In other words, a great marketing message means you'll have more and more qualified prospects contacting you, generate more and more business, and make you happier and happier!

So what exactly is your marketing message?

Your marketing message is more than a USP (Unique Selling Position), or value proposition, or your tagline or brand. It is a complete message that describes what you do, who you do it with, what problems you solve and what solutions you offer.

You want your marketing message to grab your prospect's attention, show them how you can solve their problem, why they should trust you and why it's in their best interest to do business with you.

Your marketing message should "speak" to your prospects and clients by appealing to their "hot buttons". The problem or issue that triggers emotional reactions that keep them up at night, trying to come up with some solutions.

Prospects and customers who are exposed to your marketing message (via your website, elevator speech, business card, brochure, special report, sales letter, direct mail, etc.) should have answers for the following questions:

1. Is this product or service for me?

2. Why do I need this service or product?

3. What will I get from this product or service?

4. How will this service or product change how I'm feeling right now?

5. Does this product or service really work?

In order to ensure that your marketing message is the best it can be, and answers the above questions for your prospects and customers, you need to do some homework.

In order to craft a successful marketing message, you have to understand your target or niche group, the problems they have and their motivations to buy. You also need to know what sets you apart from your competitors and what solutions your products and services provide.

So your marketing message actually encompasses several different aspects:

1) Target market - who is your message and marketing communications directed to? What is the personality of your potential audience?

2) Problem - what is the issue or concern that frustrates your prospects and clients? What's not working for them or could work better?

3) Solution - what solution can you provide to alleviate your target market's problem? What will your customers experience from working with you/buying your product?

4) Benefits - what are all the ways that your product or service helps your client? What are the actual results?

5) Uniqueness - what is unique about your company's offerings that make a difference to your potential and current clients? How are you different from your competitors?

Creating a dynamic and effective marketing message is key to your business's success. If you don't take the time to do this important marketing step, then you'll most likely end up sitting in an empty store or office, or in front of an empty email inbox and wondering why your marketing isn't pulling in any customers.