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Secrets to Success
Deborah Cole Micek
and John-Paul Micek
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Subtlety is key to online marketing
Instead of me telling you how to attract clients using new-media marketing online, I thought I'd share exactly what your market is saying. Then, you can decide whether it's time to change your marketing approach.
Julie Perry, a client of mine, has visited more than 50 countries through a variety of different work-abroad experiences, including working her way around the United Kingdom on a temporary visa and serving as a tour director for one of the nation's largest private travel clubs. Author of the book, "The Insiders' Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess: Confessions from My Years Afloat with the Rich and Famous," which she primarily markets using Web 2.0 and new-media marketing, Julie is both familiar with business ownership and catering to wealthy business owners in the world.
Here's what this successful business woman says about how she feels when companies try to market to her online:
"All these Internet marketers have flocked to MySpace and similar social networking sites in the last year. In my opinion, so many of them are going about it all wrong. While I may not be a champion in getting my digital and back-end product lines going, if there's one thing I have mastered, it's marketing via the social-networking scene. It's all about subtlety when interacting in these communities, and in that regard, I think many of these Internet marketers and small-business owners do themselves more harm than good.
"The whole in-your-face, impersonal, blatant product-plug, link-laden, comment-post spamming trend has really led us all away from the initial purpose and intent, not to mention, the fun and personal vibe, of the social-networking phenomenon. Consequently, my target market -- the college-aged and young 20-somethings -- have all fled MySpace and gone over to sites like Facebook and Bebo; they've been chased away by what's become the out-of-control marketing madness. Subtlety is key!"
I couldn't have said it better myself!
Keeping Julia's comments in mind, here's my advice:
» Find ways to attract attention. Hook people in with things that aren't such obvious advertisements and tacky product plugs.
» Intrigue people, or reel them onto your page with things associated or of interest to your niche, but that aren't necessarily directly related to your product.
» Use the profile as you would set up a group, bringing people together with common interests. Just don't have it all geared around a product.
Hopefully, you will pay attention to Julie's comments and understand that we don't mind being marketed with, we simply can't stand being marketed to. Your market really desires subtlety.
John-Paul Micek is the lead business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. Reach him at
JPM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach and life strategist. Reach her at
DCM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.