Tips: Are your marketing messages the most effective they can be?

The other day I had an interview with Pet Age Magazine. They are working on a marketing related article and asked for my opinion on a few concepts.

So, this got me thinking and making some notes that I wanted to share with you.

What are they key elements in creating a strong marketing message? How can you make your message stronger and impact your customers and potential customers more effectively?

• Know and understand your audience (customers and prospective customers); and know and understand your demographic.
• Know what they care about, what they need, what they want and address these points clearly, directly, succinctly and consistently in your marketing message.
• Put yourself in your customer's and prospective customer's shoes and look at life from their point of view - what do they like, dislike, what do they think about, what makes them happy, or sad, how do they feel in relation to what you are presenting to them.
• What are the solutions that you can provide? What can you do for them? How have you done it for others?
• What makes your product or service different than your competitors, what makes it stand out from the crowd?

Once you know these things, start making a really big list. Write down all the words that address your customers needs, wants, desires, and concerns; along with a list of what makes your product, company and service different, and how you can solve your customers and potential customers situations. Then add in a little fun stuff (we're in the pet business, remember?).

Now it's a matter of formulating your message, whether it be a short and sweet tagline, a press release, website copy, packaging copy or other marketing material. Take those words, rearrange them every which way, add in a little fun, until you come up with the perfect marketing message that:

• Communicates directly to your customer/potential customer (their wants, needs, cares, etc.) and solves their situation(s).
• Makes you, your product and your company stand out from the sea of competition.
• Is fun, entertaining, and educational.
• Gets to the point quickly, simply, is easy and clear, and is as short and sweet as possible.
• Addresses all the elemental needs - like the basics of who, what, when, where, why and how.

Remember, marketing is a process - a process of enticing, informing, educating and calling to act. And there are steps that you utilize to connect with your customer and prospective customer. You don't always have to say everything in your marketing messages right away, you only need to lead them to the next step in the sales process.

Use those messages accordingly with each and every marketing message you create - for the highest success rate possible.