Who needs this article?
If you're just learning and want to know the basics of marketing, or you are sick of listening to hundreds of videos, podcasts, and self-proclaimed gurus, let me tell you how it is!
I'll try to explain it to you honestly, without any hooks or egocentric motives, providing useful info that will hopefully leave you less confused.
Ok, so let's start!
What the heck is Marketing?
Many people think of marketing only as selling and advertising, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Marketing is defined as:
A social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and values with others.
”Ok, is anything clearer now? I doubt it. You'd be amazed at how many definitions of marketing you'll encouter while reading and studying. It's as if they're trying to confuse you.
Seth Godin said:
I define marketing as anything we do that changes the culture for the better.
”— Seth Godin
It's quite philosophical and debatable, but who am I? Just another fake guru writing an online article.
I'll tell you that marketing is putting business theory into practice. It's about actions that lead to successful product or service sales and keeping your customers satisfied.
So, basically, anything you need to do to provide the best results for your business.
You'll run into dozens of famous fake gurus videos where they offer you special opportunities, promising 6 or 7 figures income. They'll teach you bits and pieces and keep you motivated, but the reality is, you won't learn what marketing truly is, what business is, or even the best ways to succeed.
That's the only valuable lesson they provide, which 99% of their customers fail to see.
So how do you do real marketing?
- Come up with your goal.
- Understand your capabilities.
- Find the easiest way to start getting results.
- Collect data, analyse it, tweak and repeat until you see progress.
- Keep going, or change your business model if you're failing initially.
Ok, so you have a product or service. You need a target market and need to define the customers or user tribe you want to reach. Depending on these two factors, you'll decide your next steps.
So, when someone offers to teach you how to grow on Instagram or optimize your website's SEO, they're inviting you to learn a certain skill. Before that, you need to figure out what skills and tools you actually need, or don't need at all, depending on your business model.
Mistake number one
Learning all trends and tools available instead of focusing on actions necessary for your business.
If you want to be a marketer, you need a set of actions which provides results, not chasing trends and trying to master everything.
Trends change, business models evolve, and a real marketer adapts to these when necessary.
Mistake number two
Relying on advice and blog articles to tell you what to do.
It's okay to glance through articles, but waiting for a third party to tell you what you should do is not the right way to learn how to market.
You are a third party too. Are you kidding me?
Listen. You started your business. Let's say you researched and decided you need to advertise through Facebook or TikTok ads. What's your next move?
Sending a message to a social media manager promoted online? Or signing up for a $2,000 course that starts with an automated fake live webinar?
No!
You should type www.facebook.com/business
Look, it's all out there.
Are you waking up from the deception, starting to trust yourself, and not allowing your mind to be content-raped every day?
Read through those links as new tabs. Scroll down and read. Take notes.
"Ok wise fake guru, but how will I know that I need Facebook ads in the first place if I didn't listen to fake gurus or some watering-down YouTube video speaker telling me about trends and promotional options?"
By being a marketer.
Understanding your target customers, their habits, expectations and how to reach them. You have to do research. Nothing can be done without it.
How to make a fast start?
It's a simple decision. You need to crush your ego, but eventually, you have to do that anyway if you want to become successful and mature. Start by becoming a "copykitty." Become a purple cow if you can, but for now, being a "copykitty" is fine.
Find a person or business already successful in an industry close to your niche. Analyse their business and all visible actions. Contact them and ask for advice. If possible, offer them money to share an example of their workflow.
Of course, you will not contact your direct competition but someone who is similar. Starting with an organized set of actions is the best approach for anything, even learning new skills.
During this process, you can define your future needs, change tools and tactics, upgrade, and reorganize.
What about gurus?
"Gurus" are mostly rich, but they will not make you rich because the reason they became rich is by promising that they will make you rich.
They became rich by offering you a service that you need but they can't provide. Your goal is to succeed by providing value to your customers in exchange for income.
That would be all for now
This is applied marketing, and there is a lot more to discuss. You can't grasp everything at once, but you can start with simple steps. Feel free to contact us, and we will add you to our mailing list for future helpful content.