What has two thumbs and wants your attention? Me.
No one knows who you are and no one cares. This is the most dangerous state for your tiny business to be in — a state of obscurity.
Marketers, like me, are constantly trying to figure out how to get the attention of their markets.
Apathy on the part of your market is the #1 killer of tiny businesses.
Building Attention Assets
Attention assets are things that your business owns that drive “buzz” about your products/services.
The traditional method of building an attention asset is to interrupt your market with a relentless barrage of advertising slogans, brand imagery, and jingles until your market submits to your will.
This is expensive.
People are communicating with other people on the web for free. And you can join the conversation — for free.
There is one catch. You can’t do the hard sell thing. At least not until you get to know a prospect.
How To Get Attention Online
You can get attention online by:
- Having real conversations with people
- On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc
- On your blog
- Through Email/ Your email list
- Through telephone/teleseminars
- At in-person networking events/ Public Speaking
- Providing value for your customers and prospects
- On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc
- On your blog
- Through Email/ Your email list
- Through telephone/teleseminars
- At in-person networking events/ Public Speaking
- Getting permission from your customers to continue the conversation
- On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc
- On your blog
- Through Email/ Your email list
- Through telephone/teleseminars
- At in-person networking events/ Public Speaking
That last main bullet point is the most important — the one about permission to continue the conversation. It is the goal we are working for on the web. When someone follows you on Twitter or subscribes to your email list they are giving you permission to market to them and therefore have agreed to give you some attention.
Your Market Can Giveth And Taketh Away
The catch on the web is that people can shut you off — you can’t interrupt them if they don’t want to be interrupted.
- They will “unfollow you” on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
- They will stop reading or unsubscribe from your blog
- They will unsubscribe or hit the SPAM button on your email
- They won’t speak to you on the phone or sign up for your teleseminars
- They won’t speak to you or attend your in-person networking events
This is why you can’t just do the “hard sell.”
The CONTENT of your message must be valuable to your market for them to give you the permission to continue the conversation.
They are giving you their attention and you must give them something valuable in return.
Your turn. How do you go about getting attention online? What advice do you have for the rest of us tiny business owners?
Learn more here or sign up below
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice post! Nobody knows who you are and frankly they could care less. Although if you make yourself known, show proven success, and establish yourself as an expert in the field then potential clients will take notice.
Having a blog such as your own is one step in the right direction toward showing others what you’re good at. Continuous updates such as new posts and flow of resourceful information can only further earn the trust of those interested in doing business with you.
Last but not least…Permission Marketing!
Happy Easter!
@IvanTemelkov — Absolutely a flow of valubale content indicates to your site visitors (whom are often potential clients) a lively, vibrant business. This builds trust.
Happy Easter to you too!