Julian’s Business Tips: Fishing for Customers 
Marketing is a huge subject – so I’m going to try and sum it up in 250 words for you.
Marketing is letting customers know that you have a product they want. And doing it in such a way that they are persuaded to buy it. Simple.
Marketing is not sales – sales is a part of marketing. Sales without marketing is virtually pointless.
So what should the small business marketer do?
Think of your customers as fish that you want to catch. You have to offer them the right bait, in the right place. And you can’t do that unless you understand your fish!
If I tried to fish for Atlantic Cod in a salmon river, I wouldn’t catch any. If I tried to catch my cod in the Atlantic Ocean, but used a fly as bait, I still wouldn’t catch my cod.
Take time to understand your customer and their habits.
Ask yourself, ‘What type of ‘fish’ buys my product?’ These are the ones I need to catch – so I need to learn where they ‘swim’, because that’s where I need to put my marketing ‘bait’.
To create your marketing message, your ‘bait’, ask yourself, ‘Why do they buy this kind of product – what do they get out of it?’ and, ‘Why should they buy it from me (your USP)?’ Build both these answers into your message.
Now cast your bait into your chosen environment. And measure the responses. If you aren’t catching fish, you may be in the wrong river, it may be the wrong time of day, or maybe the wrong bait. Make one change and try again – and measure the responses again.
Follow these simple guidelines and soon you will have plenty of fish!
Now, how do I catch chips?
