The ABCs of Marketing—Discover the In-Demand Marketing Tools You Need Right Now

​It’s not just the kids who are distance learning these days. If you’re like me, you spend more time every day with your iPad than you do with any human.

And while we’re all hanging out in our lounge wear, eating copious amounts of Cheetos, binging Season 4 of “The Crown,” and wishing for a return to “normal,” we can still feel gratitude for the technology that allows us to continue working and learning.
 
Because the fact is, we’ve all had to adapt.

And if that means you’re searching for ways to build your business online, learning the ins and outs of marketing is fundamental to the process.

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​Whether you’re taking on marketing yourself or looking for a professional to step in and perform the tasks for you, it’s important that you understand the terminology as you develop your marketing plan:
 
Direct Marketing—Seems self-explanatory, but can encompass many things, including Direct Mail.

In a nutshell, Direct Marketing targets a specific audience. Instead of taking a shotgun approach and mailing out your brochure to everyone in the United States, you build a profile of your target market (determined by demographics and psychographics) and tailor your message or offer directly to them.
 
For example, you want to make sure that if you’re selling genuine fur-lined computer monitors, you’re only marketing to those folks who would have a use for that sort of thing.

My guess is no one from PETA should be on your list.
 
Direct Response is much the same as Direct Marketing/Direct Mail, except that your marketing piece includes a means for the potential customer to respond to you, either via coupon, mail back request for additional information, or order form.
 
Eighty-Twenty Rule—Also known as Pareto’s Principle, the 80/20 rule states that 20% of your customers are responsible for 80% of your revenue.

As such, it’s important to identify that 20% and make sure you’re managing those accounts closely.

Now that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to treat that other 80% like redheaded stepchildren.

On the contrary, all your prospective and existing customers should get as much “love” as you can give them.

It’s just that that 20% is likely your bread and butter—treat them well and they’ll continue to keep you in business.
 
Full Position—This is really a newspaper term, (“What? What’s a newspaper?”) but can still be applicable if you’re utilizing ad space online or even in your local shopper, small town news, or a newsletter in which you’ve purchased ad space.

Essentially, it’s the most effective placement for your ad because your ad is surrounded by an actual news article, making it highly likely that the reader will peruse your message while they’re busily reading the surrounding article.
 
Remember, as we face the long, dark days of winter that lie ahead, it’s important to keep learning, keep building, and keep reaching for your goal.

And never forget, that you are not the only one who is working in fuzzy slippers and a sweatshirt smeared with Cheeto dust. 

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