In continuing to explore the fundamental principles for business owners who want to market themselves effectively, based upon The 16 Monumental Secrets of Guerilla Marketing presented by Jay Conrad Levinson in his national bestseller Guerilla Marketing, next up on the list is INVOLVEMENT. Yet another essential in maintaining top of mind awareness, involvement is paramount when it comes to successfully running and promoting your business.

If you’ve taken on the challenge of business ownership, it stands to reason that you are very passionate about your business and chosen profession. As such, doing what you do best and living your dream is quite often the highlight of your day. Involvement in your business is what brings you a sense of purpose, accomplishment and pride. You may also find it highly satisfying to help a customer solve a problem or to welcome returning customers time and time again, developing a relationship over the course of months and on through the years—for most people involvement isn’t merely actions but also a powerful feeling of connection that inspires loyalty and a sense of belonging. Sustained involvement between your business and the people it serves is the key to success as it positions you to be a meaningful part of your clients’ lives, which allows you to better serve them because you’ve taken advantage of numerous opportunities to enhance your relationship with and understanding of one another.

For your marketing efforts to be effective, you must also be actively involved in the process. Branding your business means that you are telling its story through a variety of channels, creating depth by infusing your business’s unique benefits into your promotion of it to your target audience. The goal is to build a brand that precisely defines your offerings and attracts your specific target market. Crafting that message or making those pivotal decisions without your guidance would mean that your voice and vision, two of the most important parts of your brand identity that will set you apart from your competition, aren’t factored into the equation and wind up watered down or lost altogether.

When defining the secret of involvement in his book, Levinson explains, “The business proves that it’s involved with the customers by means of its continual follow-up: sending mailers, inviting customers to private sales, providing a helpful website for them, and being especially nice to them, almost always remembering their names. The customers prove that they’re involved by coming back several times during the year to see what’s available and usually finding something to buy. They prove it by referring the store to their friends and frequently bringing friends in tow when they’re making a shopping foray. They show their involvement by providing testimonials and completing questionnaires.”

If you are not involved with your customers, it signals that you are ambivalent as to whether or not they choose you when they make the crucial decision as to who they will do business with. Bottom line: If you don’t put forth the effort by being actively involved in your business and how you are promoting yourself, and if you don’t put an emphasis on keeping your customers educated, well-served and involved with your business, your prospects will gravitate to another business that does those things. Furthermore, if you are not actively involved in crafting your brand identity, the process of continuously sharpening it, and in strengthening your marketing efforts, you aren’t allowing your customers the opportunity to stay involved with your business as it evolves.

Many times we worry that we are doing too much or too little; it can be hard to find the balance but generally speaking you can never do too much to show your commitment to your customers and solidify your presence in the marketplace. Involvement should always be a two-way street, with intermittent contact and/or dialogue between your business and the customer. This will establish your business as a constant that will always be there when needed or called upon. Involvement gives your customers a voice and a sense of belonging; that the relationship truly matters to you.

 

Call Paige Zutavern today to find our more about FOCUSING ON YOUR BRAND 402-730-0096