My management professor really loved the number 7 for different classifications and lists. And yet, I consider it a coincidence that today I have 7 principles for you again :).
Very often we overlook basic and "obvious" principles of marketing activities and then wonder why problems occur.
Here is a list of the most crucial ones.
1. Be honest
Nothing has a chance to stay hidden when your business goes online. Customers will share opinions about your products/services in social networks, blogs or reviews, and you are lucky if these comments are positive. Sooner or later the concealed facts emerge, and one's reputation is not easily repaired after anything hits the world wide web.
2. Be open
Being honest and open might seem to be the same thing. In fact, these are two different, though equally important marketing principles. Honesty means not telling misrepresenting your products or services. Openness implies sharing your knowledge or experience with others and answering sincerely all questions from your clients/customers.
3. Be concentrated
Make a “Not to Do” list. Stop wasting time on marketing initiatives that aren’t working. Dare to quit doing things that bring zero results and keep trying new marketing tools. Do you remember the Pareto 80/20 law? (20% of efforts give 80% of results and vice versa). That’s exactly what you need to follow.
4. Be regular
Cultivating the habit requires 21 day of repeated every-day action. Otherwise you get neither effect nor desire to continue. It works for blogging, twitting, “pinning”, emailing or whatever your marketing activities may be. Being regular in your marketing communications can be quite tough and routine, but also maybe the most effevtive principle.
5. Be sustainable
Sustainability follows the regularity. Define your goals, develop a strategy, start your marketing initiatives, track results and make conclusions. Your work becomes sustainable when you start new activities based on previous results and achievements.
6. Be curious
If your marketing isn’t working, ask why. If it is, ask why again. There is nothing worse than achieving success and not knowing why you are successful. Set up goals, measure, compare and keep asking the questions.
7. Be a listener
Listen to your customers, gather their feedback and move forward with this valuable information. Make updates, changes based on this information and show that you listen to your customers and care.
Which other prinsiples would you add to the list?
See also: Start Earning From Your Videos
