Marketing Skills

4 Marketing Skills You Must Have To Succeed

I’ve been at this marketing game for 34 years and I’ve identified 4 Marketing Skills you must have to succeed.

Skill Number One: You must test, test and test some more. NEVER blow your wad on a marketing campaign until you’ve tested it six ways from Sunday. And when you test, test in small numbers. Look at your testing as your tuition, your cost to go to the marketing university. If a small test works, try one much bigger and if that one works, roll it out. If it works for 1,000 direct mail pieces, it’ll work for 100,000. If $500 of radio or TV commercials works, it will work for thousands of dollars.

Skill Number Two: You must sum up your product or service with a USP. A Unique Selling Proposition is a very short statement that says why someone should do business with you. Domino’s had a great one: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less — or it’s free.” This concept is commonplace today for most pizza shops, but back in the 70’s it was revolutionary.  I own a dry cleaning pick-up and delivery business and my USP is: “Free Pick-Up / Next Day Delivery.”

What sums up your business? What is your elevator speech? What slogan says it all about your business? Once you find this out (and you should ask your customers to help you), you’ll use it in all the marketing you do.  I had a Mr. Rooter franchise as a client and Moe and I came up with: “We promise to unclog your drain, or it’s FREE!”  Come up with one for your business, it’s vital. Figuring out your USP is one of the important marketing skills.

Skill Number Three: You must learn how to write copy. This one skill set that will set you apart from the competition is writing copy. Learn to write as you talk. I write best by typing into my computer. Others need to get a pen and write it out on paper. And some others must record their voice and then have it transcribed.

You must learn to write at a six-grade level, because no one wants to struggle (even the high IQ people) when they’re reading something. So learn to write as you talk and don’t make it difficult.

Skill Number Four: And this is a big one—point out your products flaws.  You heard me right, point out what is flawed with our product or service. Maybe it’s not for everyone. So explain whom it’s not for. Maybe it’s not right for certain companies; tell which kinds of company’s it’s not right for