Test Yourself

Marketing yourself and your business successfully is tricky. While marketing theory may seem incomprehensible, marketing practice can be straightforward and simple. The key is to recognize consumer needs that are not being met. Then you present a credible message explaining how you will meet these needs. Here are some key points to help you to do the job:

  1. Creating credibility - convincing others of your credibility requires three elements:
  1. knowledge - you must be seen as knowledgeable about the product or service you are promoting.
  2. Trust - you must appear capable of providing expert information about your product or service.
  3. Other - orientation - customers must believe you will act with their best interests in mind.
  1. Selling your image - to enhance your credibility and message, you need to create an image. Inage determines how people view you, how much they value you, and whether they are attracted to you.

Before you can image, ask yourself these questions.
  1. What does your business do?
  2. Who is your target audience:
  3. What do you want from your audience:
  4. What needs does your business meet? What problems does it solve?
  5. How will it benefit the consumer psychologically?
  6. What makes your business different from the competition?
  1. Get the message across - once you have pinpointed your image and message, you need to project them continually.

Here are six marketing rules to help you get across your image in speeches or informal talks:
  1. appearance - use your attire and posture to project confidence, competence, and status.
  2. Nonverbal behavior- make direct eye contact with your audience to reinforce your message.
  3. Verbal behavior - use simple, direct language , without jargon; speak clearly and concisely.
  4. Involvement - listen carefully; tailor your message to your audience's needs and interests
  5. Illustration - your language should create pictures in the audience's mind and appeal to the senses.
  6. Control - stay in control by deciding ahead of time exactly what you 're going to say and how you 're going to say it.

In today's competitive world, every entrepreneur must vie for the customer's attention. How you choose to create, project, and market your business image can mean the difference between success or failure. NOW, BASED ON WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN CLASS TO CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF THE CYBER CUSTOMER, WHAT TRAITS AND TECHNIQUES MENTIONED ABOVE WOULD BE MOST USEFUL TO ESTABLISH A SUCCESFUL, PROFITABLE WEB EXISTENCE? How would you sell your image as established by the questions in Part 2. Would any of the items in part 3 change with the use of video/voice technologies?