Change Your Marketing Mindset To Bring In Badass Clients

The mistake most business owners make in their marketing is not focusing on the client’s needs.

“I need to make more money in my business.” “I network, use social media and post blogs and I do all the right things but still I’m not getting new clients.” “I hate marketing!”

Sound familiar? You have a negative Marketing Mindset. Let’s change it and watch your business explode and your bottom line grow!

Mindset Shift #1

Selling is yucky! Let’s clear up a misnomer. Marketing is not selling. The purpose of marketing is to organically get your message in front of your ideal clients. Advertising places your service/ product in front of ideal clients by paying for the positioning of your message. Sales is converting the prospects to actual buying customers once the marketing and advertising brings them in.

Marketing Mindshift #2

Push the Bruise The mistake most business owners make in their marketing is not focusing on the client’s needs. Previously marketing was about “look how great we are.” Of course, we all know how to sell and market to benefits, but do we market to pain points? Do we “push the bruise” of our client’s pain?

What does it mean to “push the bruise?”

Imagine you’ve got a small bruise on your forearm. You don’t even notice it’s there because it doesn’t hurt. But take your thumb and imagine pushing in - hard. Now you feel the pain! Get the picture?

Pushing the bruise is not a negative thing in marketing speak. It is actually the reason your company and your marketing exist. If you don’t solve a problem for your client better than anyone else, then why should they buy from you?

Reset your mindset to be client centered - walk in their shoes - think like they think. Ask yourself this question:

I’m going to walk in my client’s shoes - what do my clients really want?

As a realtor I don’t just sell my clients 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.

• I sell memories. I sell neighborhoods.

• I sell education through school systems.

• I sell a social structure for my homeowners.

As a chiropractor I don’t just adjust spines. • I offer a better night’s sleep.

• I help you move better so you can enjoy playing football in the backyard with your kids.

• I help you work better by making that office chair more comfortable.

As a jewelry designer I don’t just make pretty baubles. • I instill confidence in a woman’s appearance by helping her look stylish and fashionable.

• I instill happiness and pride from the joy she will get by wearing my baubles.

Do you see where this is going? Look beyond the surface of what is obvious. Find the pain, write the pain points down - brain dump the pain points. Once this activity is complete find a solution to each pain point and then market to those specific pain points using those solutions.

Marketing Mindshift #3

It not about you! Years past, most marketing was promoting who we were and what made us qualified to help you. Printed brochures were created that showed our facilities and our products and how many years we’ve been in business. We talked about the awards we may have won. Yadda, yadda.

Today, we focus on the client and the customer journey - not our company. There are many ways to make sure you are customer focused but we will focus on three.

Always be helpful, not selling. When you are focused on the problems the client has, you can focus on providing solutions to that problem. Listen to what the client is telling you and provide an answer specific to that problem. Be genuine in your approach - you are talking a solution, not a product.

Always think client retention. When you are in the mindset of “this is a lifetime client” you start with this from the initial contact. Respond quickly and show up when talking to your client. Put your phone down and respect the time with the client. Be present.

Always put the client journey first - by putting yourself in their shoes, you will see the entire process from first conversation to onboarding.

These are only a few of the ways changing your mindset about marketing can help your company to grow, be prosperous and client focused. It’s about thinking like a client from first contact through the entire sales cycle. Walk in their shoes. Become the client.

Lori is a non-technical person living in a technical world. As a marketing strategist and owner of a website design company, Lori has over 30 years as an entrepreneur and marketer. Her program, Make Your Marketing Simple, is helping confused and overwhelmed entrepreneurs navigate today’s marketing maze. During her career, she has been an entrepreneur as well has been fired, downsized and laid off twice in the space of 2 years. She is currently writing a book for entrepreneurs that are looking to profit from their experience. She loves her Atlanta Braves baseball, football and Angel’s Envy bourbon.