Advertising | RJ's Internet Marketing Blog

Unique Selling Proposition

By RitaJo on December 8, 2011

When I was in college back in the 90’s earning my marketing degree, the focus was on marketing tangible products rather than on marketing services. As a result, my understanding of unique selling proposition (USP) was based on marketing a product. In this post, we will focus on your USP for marketing services as a service professional.

The description for USP in one of my old advertising textbook is: The unique selling proposition, or the differentiating features, of every product advertised; a concept developed by Rosser Reaves of the Ted Bates advertising agency.

However, according to a recent article I read by Peter Vogopoulos, co-founder of Firepole Marketing, if you are a service provider, your USP is you. Peter says, “You are the only variable that cannot be replicated. Your competitors can have the same hours, offer the same products, get certified from the same place, offer the same result, same, same, all the same as you, but they can never be you.” Click here to read the entire article.

For nine years I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what is unique about our Internet marketing services. Why should someone retain our services rather than work with Billy Bob and Associates. I was working from the premise of what I learned at Arizona State University; marketing a tangible product.

According to Peter, we have to connect to our potential clients on a personal level. When we bring our true values and attributes to the table, someone will like us and be inspired to do business with us.

According to Bob Bly, who is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets,” that in addition to your intangible USP, your personality, service professionals also have a tangible USP. Bob says, “The tangible USP is the visible, quantifiable differentiator between you and your competitors. Because it can be seen, felt, described, and grasped, the tangible USP is the one you feature in your marketing copy.” You can read Bob’s article by going here.

So, based on the concept developed by Rosser Reaves if you are advertising/marketing a product, you have to come up with differentiating features as your USP. Peter Vogopoulos says be you, and Bob Bly suggests be you, as well as create a tangible USP for your marketing copy, which differentiates you from your competitors.

What are your thoughts on unique selling proposition? We would love to hear what you think. Leave us your comments below. Come back next week for more Internet marketing tips.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

Posted in Advertising, Internet Marketing Services, Marketing, Rita J. Cartwright, RJ's Internet Marketing Services, Service Professionals, Service Provider, Unique Selling Proposition, USP Tagged Advertising, Arizona State University, Bob Bly, Firepole Marketing, intangible USP, Internet marketing services, Marketing, Peter Vogopoulos, Rita J. Cartwright, RJ's Internet Marketing Services, Rosser Reaves, tangible USP, Ted Bates advertising agency, unique selling proposition, USP, what is a USP 2 Comments

Building your Network on LinkedIn

By RitaJo on March 9, 2011

LinkedIn is another great resource for marketing your business, product, or service. Unlike other social networking sites, LinkedIn specifically targets professionals, entrepreneurs, and the like to network right on their website. It takes the social aspect of networking to a completely different level.

Build Your Network Day-by-Day

Building your network on LinkedIn may appear to be a little overwhelming in the beginning, but it doesn’t have to be. Start out small by connecting with people you already know. With a user base of more than sixty million, it is usually a safe assumption that most (if not all) of your colleagues are on this social networking site.

Once you have connected with people you already know, start reaching out to existing customers. If you are advertising your LinkedIn profile on your homepage and other social media outlets (such as Facebook and Twitter), you are probably already receiving connection requests from your customers.

As your network grows, start attracting new contacts by searching for people who may be interested in your product or service. This is also a great way to build business relationships with other companies. Incorporating non-competing businesses into your network is a great way to get more exposure.

Remember, a hearty network takes time and effort to build, and you will only get out of it what you put into it. You need to be prepared to devote a good amount of time to building your presence within the LinkedIn site. However, you will find that the investment of your time will have a solid pay off in the end as long as you stick with it.

To Your Marketing Success,

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

Posted in Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Network, Networking, Rita Cartwright, RJ's Internet Marketing Services, Social Media, Social Media Outlets, Social Networking, Social Networks, Twitter Tagged Advertising, build business relationships, connected, connecting, connection, contacts, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, network, Networking, social, social media outlets, social networking sites, Twitter 2 Comments

Marketing With Social Media

By RitaJo on February 24, 2011

We haven’t always had the social media advantage in marketing but the truth is that people have been using this business approach for centuries. As long as there has been a product to sell, entrepreneurs have been marketing it to their friends, family, and colleagues. Take the social marketing and mix it with today’s technology and you have Social Media Marketing. This marketing style is created from a blend of classic advertising and social networking.

Why does it work?

Marketing with social media is essentially word-of-mouth advertising. People are much more likely to purchase a product or try a service that is recommended by a friend or family member, because they have backed it with their own experience. This recommendation increases the product’s reputation in the eyes of the potential buyer (your target audience).

With today’s social networking tools your simple “word” can travel around the world at the click of a mouse or the push of a button. This means that word-of-mouth advertising can now reach far off lands without any extra effort.

Where do I start?

It doesn’t take a huge contact list to strategically execute a solid social networking marketing plan. All you really need are a few friends and contacts who are willing to spread the word about your product or service. Chances are you are already using social networking tools to keep in touch with your friends and family. Start there. It is important to remember that your colleagues may have no idea that you have a product to market until you make it known.

A few tips to get started:

Don’t be shy. You can’t expect others to spread the word about your product if you won’t do so yourself. You can only be as successful as you will allow yourself to be.

Don’t be afraid to try cross-advertising. If you have a friend or colleague who is marketing their product through social media, try working together. Give their product a mention and have them do the same for you. You could double your exposure effortlessly.

Offer incentives. This is a great social marketing tactic because it benefits both sides. This is a common marketing plan used by people who sell products through home parties. When the invitations go out they include a line such as: “bring a friend to receive a free prize!” This social networking plan is not only simple but it could easily double the attendance of the party.

Marketing with social media or Social Media Marketing “levels the playing field” for entrepreneurs and small business owners providing them with the opportunity to market their products and services inexpensively. However, it is time-consuming. Outsource it to your Virtual Assistant, which will give you more time to focus on your clients and building your business.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

Posted in Marketing, Networking, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, RJ's Internet Marketing Services, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking Tagged Advertising, marketing with social media, media marketing, Social Media Marketing, social networking, social networking marketing plan, social networking tools 1 Comment

What is Niche?

By RitaJo on July 10, 2009

ritajoblack1

An interesting discussion was started on Twitter as to what is niche. I have seen niche used to refer to a group of consumers with shared characteristics. I have also seen niche described as a specialized service(s); for example, internet marketing.

Ten years ago, when I was in college, niche was described as a space in the market where the advertiser’s product or service will fit. Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition is a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted. Although marketing and advertising concepts and theories remain the same, the methods of delivery of advertising messages have changed.

These changes apparently have changed or gave new meaning to the word “niche” where now it can refer to a specialized service. Join the discussion by posting your comment below as to what is niche to you. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

Posted in Advertising, Marketing, Online Marketing, Rita J. Cartwright, Target Audience Tagged Advertising, Marketing, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright 2 Comments

When Choosing Your Niche

By RitaJo on December 30, 2008

ritajoblack1 As an entrepreneur and/or small business owner, one of the decisions you make when starting your business is which portion of the market is going to be your niche. In order to choose your niche ask yourself, “where in the market will my products or services fit?” Has a new market been created, because of changes in technology or society, which has a potential demand that is not being met? Once you have answered these questions, you have chosen your niche.

In your niche, you will find people with shared characteristics (market segment). The factors (characteristics) that determine market segments are geographic, demographic, behavioral, and psychographic (attitudinal). Your advertising message and marketing strategy will be based on these factors.

It’s ironic how people are more alike than different. The aforementioned factors will affect how a group of people will behave. We tend to be creatures of habit, which causes us to be “sitting ducks” for advertisers and marketers. We leave clues, based on our needs, wants, and mental files, that tell where we live, how we shop, what we buy, and how we spend our leisure time. The same holds true for the market segment you choose to target with your products and/or services. They will have similar needs or wants and behave in similar ways.

In the market place, there is an area or subset where your products and/or services will fit (niche). In the market place, there is a group of clients who can use your products/or services (market segment). As an entrepreneur and/or small business owner with limited advertising and marketing budget, it is important to choose a niche, as well as a segment, in the market.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

Posted in Advertising, Clients, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Target Audience Tagged Advertising, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur Leave a Comment