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We are a society of information junkies. We thirst for information every
single day. When we consider our own buying habits, where do we go? If it is a
big item we might go to Consumer Reports or search for information online. We
will certainly go to Google or Yahoo and search for whatever it is we want.
One of the very best examples of "Education Based Marketing" is seen at
www.askthebuilder.com. That web site is packed full of information on the how
to's of home improvement. People gravitate to vendors who supply the greatest
amount of information.
A Simple Example:
If we were going to buy a pizza and we were standing right in front of two
identical pizzerias, side by side, and one of them had a big sign in the window
that read: "FREE Pizza Recipe Book," which one would we walk into first? We
would probably all be interested in what ingredients are in the pizza and how
the pizza is made.
What comes into play here? First of all we probably would never see two
pizzerias side by side and we will more than likely NEVER see a pizzeria owner
"divulge any secrets." The fact is, not very many people are going to ever try
and make a pizza at home and it will surely never taste the same as it is does
when you buy if from your favorite pizza vendor. The pizza vendor could have a
business card with his web site address taped to the box with instructions on
how to claim your free "Pizza Recipe Ebook." Of course there are "More Coupons"
inside the ebook.
Many restaurant owners don't have much time to spend online. If the owner just
had a printed recipe every week, (with his next week's coupon on the other side)
he would create a customer loyalty and a following. All of his customers would
look forward to the next recipe and would have to come into the restaurant to
get it.
Most of us that have an e-mail address have bought something online or
subscribed to an e-mail invitation for "specials" that the vendor offers. When
we get their e-mail, all it includes is the items they are selling and often
times it is quickly deleted. If we were to buy something from the local craft
store and they asked for our e-mail address and said: "We will be happy to send
you the free "how to project of the month," along with some coupons. Would we
sign up? Most likely we would if we had an interest in crafts. Of course that
e-mail is going to include the "Special of the Month!" We might just head right
back to the craft store to grab the new set of paint brushes that are on sale.
Yes, we are playing in the digital age. That brings up the power of educational
ebook marketing. Ebooks are being made all the time and distributed freely all
over the Internet. Along with the free information is an opportunity to purchase
the vendor's products or services. Ebooks are easy to make or easy to have made
for you. A simple example of ebook marketing is seen at: www.investigate.net The
vendor gives away a free ebook that is useful for locating unclaimed funds held
by the states. In it, there is an opportunity to buy unlimited access to public
databases. Someone who uses the ebook can access it over and over without ever
buying a thing. However, if that customer ever needs to find someone or find
some secret public record, where are they going to go?
The salesman or woman who sells to business owners can be a welcome sight if he
or she always shows up armed with some written information or "little known
secret" about that particular owner's business or industry. That information is
always given freely without any expectation of a sale resulting from it. In
addition, if the salesman or woman took the time to send a one page piece of
mail to all of his customers every month with the "Idea of the Month" on how to
increase sales, (along with a business card) who do you think the business owner
would want to buy from?
The mission is simple. Educate your customer every chance you get. Provide the
most valuable information you can to your customers. Continue to educate your
customer the best way you know how and you will develop a customer loyalty that
is worth its weight in gold.
Author: Bill Long has been a sales and marketing consultant for over 25 years.
His organization currently includes over 15,000 worldwide agents. Currently CEO
of Merchant-Systems.Com,
an e-commerce provider for over ten years.
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