Modern marketing is a little bit like dating your customers.  They need to get to know, like and trust you before they will purchase from you and that's why I refer to it as ‘Attraction Marketing'.

Gone are the days when you stick an ad in the local paper or the yellow pages and wait for the phone to ring.   If that's your approach to marketing then you are not being seen, while your competitors are out spreading the love and establishing connections.

Ask yourself this question.

Is my business marketing green and growing or ripe and rotting?

These days, if you are not online and not using social media it's very much like closing the doors to your shop but still expecting your customers to keep coming.  Your online presence is your new ‘shop front' – it's where they find you.

Attraction marketing opens a world of opportunity for small business.   We now have the ability and the platforms that enable us to reach customers and become known far and wide.  In many ways it has levelled the playing field between small and big business.

The know, like and trust component of attraction marketing represents the journey your customer will go on with you.  I am sure you would have to agree, that even you are more likely to buy from someone that you know, like and trust.  This strategy works.

Actually I hate calling it a ‘strategy'… it makes it sound like we are coaxing people to like and trust us just so they will buy.  But that couldn't be further from the truth – and would definitely not be something I would be passionate about sharing with you.

I am passionate about it though, because it allows you (and me) to be exactly who we are whilst raising the profile of our business.  Obviously you stand behind your business and you believe in your product or service or you wouldn't be in business with it right?  Attraction marketing and building likeability and trust is about you being yourself, letting others know who you are, what you do and what you believe in.  In turn this will attract your ideal customer, who will keep coming back because they relate to you – because they know, like and trust you.

Are you starting to see how this works?  Are you starting to see the opportunity?

At the same time as opening up opportunity for small business however, it has also brought with it the problem of lack of time.  Small business owners are busy and don't have the time (or in many cases, the skill set) it takes to create and manage an effective attraction marketing strategy.

(‘So what are you saying, Sharon?  That we need an entire marketing department now?)

Well not really.  For appreciation marketing to be effective, you as the business owner need to be upfront and centre.  You are the face of your business.  You are the person they need to ‘know, like and trust' in order to do business with you.

I do however, believe you need someone who can bring it all together, who has the right skillset, who can create and deliver content in a way that catches your markets attention and who will keep you accountable and on track.  Someone who is as passionate about her business results, as you are about yours.

That person is me ? and I would love to have a chat with you, to determine if the services offered by Creative Leaders are a good fit for your business.

Sharon Smithers
0409044199

(referrals to current and past clients available on request)