6 Truths about Marketing from David Meerman Scott

As a member of EO (the Entrepreneurs’ Organization www.eonetwork.org), I get to attend a learning event almost monthly. I call it my “Continuing Business Education” or CBE program. This month, we had David Meerman Scott speak to us about the New Rules of Marketing:

How People Buy has Changed

People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy. Why? Because selling is not something the buyer does – it is something being done to them – it is coercion. Buying is a willful, sometimes joyful, act. But that’s not different.

What’s different is that the tables have turned and the power is with the buyer more than ever before. Knowledge is power and every buyer has the entire world of knowledge in their pocket. It’s not direct mail, cold calling, or advertising that is the deciding factor. The buyer is the decider – and the buyer is asking Google for the answer to their problem. They are looking to educate themselves with the information they find online. Then they are checking with their trusted friends to double-check their decision. And then they act. When they act, they expect immediate gratification. It’s as simple as that.

How do you Position Yourself?

1. Understand what you do best. Be very clear about the problem you solve or the need you meet. What’s your unique ability? What do you do better than anyone else? Focus relentlessly on that.
2. Understand your customers. Know the words they use when they are looking to solve their problem or meet their need. Make sure you own those words online so they can find you (they are looking for you!).
3. Be there. You have to be in the right place at the right time – and the best way to do that is to be everywhere, all of the time. Have the content on your website that puts you in the search rankings. Participate in social media. Share and engage. Be part of every conversation that might be relevant to your offering – in real time. This takes work…
4. Give them what they are looking for. They are looking to educate themselves first. Have great content that helps people do that. Give freely of yourself first. Help first. Don’t lock content behind forms requiring your email in exchange for the key.
5. Simplify social proof. Make it easy to them to check with friends (via social media). Give them something to share so they can socialize their decision making.
6. Respond. People have no patience today – time is of the essence. They expect an immediate response when they reach out – or they’re moving on…

To learn more about the new rules of marketing and PR, check out David’s site: www.davidmeermanscott.com

The Entrepreneurial Operating System helps provide the structure it takes to define, document, and be consistent with any business initiative.