Marketing is something that we do to let people know what products we have to offer.

Selling is something that we do to show people that the products we have to offer are of value to them.

In the high tech world of today, much of what we consider marketing is very inconspicuous. Messages are moving at the speed of light, and we are hardly even aware of what we saw or heard that ever made us think eating fast food meant getting good food fast!

Marketing is all around us - from the letters that appear in our mind when our stomach hurts. Yes, we know what spells relief to the jingle in our head when we think of the first and second name we give the meat in our sandwich. We have all done it, ran into the store to buy something, and called it out by the brand...not by the actual product name.

When was the last time you were thinking of something, as simple as coffee, and “Starbucks” appeared in your mind? This, my friend, is what they call "savvy marketing" and it's as old as the day is long. The reason that marketing has been around for so long, is that for some odd reason, the more we keep something in the forefront of our mind, the more we inquire, the more we "Google" it, and the more we buy it - it is why we think that we're wearing Levi's instead of jeans.

Marketing is what people do to get us interested in the “brand“ of their product. Marketing is what causes us to dream and imagine and wish. When someone markets a product or service to us, they are helping us to get more familiar with it. They are asking us to be really comfortable with hearing the brand, saying the brand, asking about the brand and eventually, leading us to a place where we find a NEED for just that brand.

Marketing is the first step to a long-term relationship with any product, and the more product a person has to sell - the longer we may find ourselves involved in the relationship. Marketing is the most thought out component of any large selling campaign, because without this one step - the marketing - no-one knows that we're even there.

The idea that once they know us and we know them (which seems like forever) is when we are able to like what we hear and trust what they have.

Selling usually comes in right about here...the point of purchase. This is where we are helped to find the best solution for us. Selling is fine tuning the brand / product / service to fit our needs exclusively, and this is where some people start to shy away. Selling isn't always up close, but it IS personal. Selling, if done correctly, can create a lifetime of loyal product / service users, and should always be done with the utmost respect, trust and honor. Selling is what helps a consumer to decide if this product that has been marketed to them is really what they need AND if the pain they have is strong enough to get rid of, or if the pleasure is great enough to invest.

Selling is the next step to that wonderful place called referrals, and that can't happen if we haven't been able to deliver what we marketed our product to do. Our job when we market our product or service is to create for our client a reason to want to begin a relationship with us. They need to know. just by the sound of our brand, that we are worth pursuing. Not only do they need to be comfortable with what we are sharing, they also need to know that over and over again until they believe it for themselves.

So, as we look at the way we are creating relationships with our future clients, look at the process in having them trust us. If we are skipping step one in relationship building (the marketing) then step two (selling), will be much more difficult - and step three (referrals & word of mouth) is then almost impossible.

We may have the greatest product out on the market today, and it may very well be the one thing that solves all of the world's problems, BUT, if we haven't figured out how to speak to people in a caring and comfortable way, they will never get the chance to know us, and people who don't know us will not buy from us!

Marketing has to be the FIRST thing we do to make our product and relationship with our clients successful. My program “Get Clients Now” will help you to understand this process by consistently doing something every single day to ensure results. For more information and workshop times please visit: http://www.thekoach.com/business/getclients.html


About the Author
Candye Hinton is dedicated to helping other people give wings to their entrepreneurial dreams. She particularly enjoys mentoring coaches and home-based business owners by helping them to develop the habit of being successful. Candye has a thriving coaching practice that focuses on three key areas - business consulting, mentor coaching and personal development. www.thekoach.com