Marketing 102

You've crafted your marketing message (customer benefit, customer trust, and customer emotional connection). What now?

If you already have a customer base, tell them (email, postal mail, phone calls, etc.).

If you want more customers, try co-marketing or cross-marketing.

Co-marketing is working together with another company to market your products. Generally co-marketed products have a "fit".

Cross-marketing is a type of co-marketing where the products are loosely related. The relationship can be a simple, "Now that you bought a hamburger, would you like fries with that?". Sometimes it'll take a bit of sleuthing to find out what your group has in common - A club affiliation? A love of art? Restaurant? Hobby? A type of car?

Let's continue (from Marketing 101) our example of Janet, who makes earrings.

Janet could join together with some of her fellow jewelry makers and offer a jewelry show. In addition to advertising the show publicly, each jewelry maker would invite their customers. [co-marketing]

Janet realizes that a number of her customers do yoga. She approaches the local yoga studio, offering to make a beautiful display of her earrings. With the display is her contact information (on flyers for people to take home). In exchange, Janet offers to display the studio's yoga brochures at her events (or on her website). [cross-marketing]

Both of these techniques require cooperation from other companies. When approaching others, highlight the mutual benefits. Later on, ensure follow-through. Proactively tell your co-marketing partners what you've done.