Welcome
to the inaugural issue of my newsletter, The Plumtree
Marketing Minute! This ongoing publication
for clients and friends of Plumtree Marketing
and Plumtree Press will feature informative
articles about marketing, writing and other issues
of interest. In addition, I plan to use this
opportunity to put the spotlight on some
of my clients.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone
who may benefit from it, and give me a call
if I can help you with any of your marketing
writing needs.
Linda Coss
949-699-2749
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What
Are You Really Selling? |
Have
you ever stopped to think about what it is that
you're really selling? When it comes right down
to it, you're not selling a product or service.
You're selling solutions to the problems, needs
or desires that your ideal clients have. Does
your local gym sell hard work, major time commitments
and exercise? Of course not! They sell sexy
bodies and good health. Likewise, Mercedes doesn't
just sell transportation - they sell status.
Different
messages for different audiences
Of
course, you're probably selling more than one
thing. For example, a restaurant might sell
"convenience" to one target audience, a "fun
evening out" to another group of people and
a "way to connect with family and friends" to
others. The important thing is to figure out
what solution you're offering to the particular
group you're targeting, and then focus your
message on this.
Customers
don't buy "things"
People
don't buy things; they buy what things can do
for them. People who buy my book, "What's to
Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food
Allergy Cookbook," aren't buying recipes. They're
buying a way to feed delicious food to their
entire family, including a family member who
is on a restricted diet. This adage is equally
true for services. For example, your neighbor
goes to the chiropractor to relieve his back
pain. The chiropractor is selling pain
relief, not spinal adjustments.
To
really connect with your customers and potential
customers, keep in mind that you're selling
solutions, not products or services.
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| Customer Spotlight:
Ampro Vacations |
Ampro Vacations sells a terrific prepaid vacation program: Purchase a 1-week annual share in a global vacation pool and then enjoy your choice of 3,700 luxury resorts on a 7-nights-for-the-price-of-1 basis, in perpetuity. Ampro is clear that what they're selling is "happiness and fun."
After more than 13 years of selling direct to consumers, Ampro asked me to help write a webpage and direct mail letter showing corporations how they can use happiness and fun to increase their sales and decrease their costs. After all, everyone wants to be happy, and a 1-week vacation at the luxury resort of the recipients' choice is a great sales incentive.
To
learn more, click
here to
see the web page we created.
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| ©
2007 Linda Marienhoff Coss |
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About Linda |
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Linda Coss is a freelance marketing writer who helps businesses become more profitable by writing persuasive, targeted and effective messages for their brochures, websites, letters, ads, fliers, press releases, newsletters and other written materials.
Whether you need something written "from scratch" or want a professional to edit what you've created, Linda is your on-call marketing writer.
For more information
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