You benefit greatly from reading the good marketing blogs. Here's my list of recommended marketing blogs for you to read (skim).
1. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ - Seth Godin - Marketing Guru
"Not liars, storytellers "
Just to be clear, especially if you're just joining us:
The truth is elusive. No one knows the whole truth about anything. We certainly don't know the truth about the things we buy and recommend and use.
What we do know and what we talk about is our story. Our story about why use, recommend or are loyal. Our story about the origin and the impact and the utility.
Marketing is storytelling.
The story of your product, built into your product. The ad might be part of it, the copy might be part of it, but mostly, your product and your service and your people are all part of the story.
Tell it on purpose."
According to Wikipedia:
""Godin believes that the end of the "TV-Industrial complex" means that marketers no longer have the power to command the attention of anyone they choose, whenever they choose. Second, in a marketplace in which consumers have more power, he thinks marketers must show more respect; this means no spam, no deceit and a bias for keeping promises. Finally, Godin asserts that the only way to spread the word about an idea is for that idea to earn the buzz by being remarkable. Godin refers to those who spread these ideas as "Sneezers", and to the spreading idea as an "IdeaVirus." He calls a remarkable product or service a purple cow."
"Not liars, storytellers "
Just to be clear, especially if you're just joining us:
The truth is elusive. No one knows the whole truth about anything. We certainly don't know the truth about the things we buy and recommend and use.
What we do know and what we talk about is our story. Our story about why use, recommend or are loyal. Our story about the origin and the impact and the utility.
Marketing is storytelling.
The story of your product, built into your product. The ad might be part of it, the copy might be part of it, but mostly, your product and your service and your people are all part of the story.
Tell it on purpose."
According to Wikipedia:
""Godin believes that the end of the "TV-Industrial complex" means that marketers no longer have the power to command the attention of anyone they choose, whenever they choose. Second, in a marketplace in which consumers have more power, he thinks marketers must show more respect; this means no spam, no deceit and a bias for keeping promises. Finally, Godin asserts that the only way to spread the word about an idea is for that idea to earn the buzz by being remarkable. Godin refers to those who spread these ideas as "Sneezers", and to the spreading idea as an "IdeaVirus." He calls a remarkable product or service a purple cow."
- Entrepreneurs
- http://www.businessknowledgesource.com/smallbusiness/cat_entrepreneurs.html ~ This is a very good page for small business entrepreneurs.
4. Social Networking Success - Excellent website all about how to use social networking for your business and they offer this service to businesses who want to purchase it.