In order to be safe and stable, they each must have three ”legs.”  You know that a milking stool can sit solidly anywhere, even on uneven ground because of  its three legs.  Your business is much the same.  The three  “legs” of a solid business are: 

A great product:  Animal vegetable or mineral, if it isn’t a great product, no one will want to buy it!

Good financials:  foundation, capital and records.

Great Marketing:  Contrary to the saying, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door,”  if you’re not letting them know you have it—in a way that catches their attention--they won’t beat a path to your door.

It’s no longer enough to just have the first two ’legs’, though they are certainly important.   

Your potential customers are flooded with marketing messages every day—about 3000 of them!  They don’t want to listen to you.  They are skeptical and worn-out from all the hype, so-called sales that aren’t good bargains, the poor quality out there—not to mention  sellers who just don’t care about them.  How can you stand out?   

The first thing is to address your potential customers’ concerns, problems and dreams—not your need to sell something.  Solve a problem for him.  Ask how you can serve him.  Be sympathetic to his life’s issues and longings.  “For Sale” is the most boring head line in the world.  Tell him what your item does for him.   

As I write this, people are ‘advertising’ on several email lists I am on.  They are putting boring words in their headline (subject line).  That subject line is the only chance you have to catch attention.  “Friday Market” is not attention getting.  Stating what’s for sale isn’t, either (Bucks for sale, Suri alpacas in Texas, emu chicks for sale)  Your potential customers are looking at that and saying, “So what!”  “What’s in it for me?”   

‘What’s in it for me’ needs to be the first thing you consider when you’re thinking about marketing.  WIIFM.  Put it on your computer.  Tape it to your mirror and refrigerator.  That’s where your marketing has to start.  He doesn’t care about you—he only cares about himself.  So think about him—not yourself—when you start trying to sell your product, no matter how great it is.  Tell your customers WIIFM!  Then he’ll read your marketing message. 

Want more how-to’s  and step-by-step directions for marketing better?  Check out the table of contents  in Marketing Farm Products, at http://beyondthesidewalk.com/marketing_farm_products.shtml