Imagination, Part 2

Previously, we discussed how we must be creative and use our imaginations when we market our businesses to others. We must imagine what others need or want before we try to market whatever we have for them. If we learn and help them obtain whatever they need, we will form a bond allowing us to build a relationship for mutual success.

How do we build our imaginations and get more creative in our businesses? We should look at whatever our competitors do, how they market their products, and how they relate to their market. They may not do their marketing well, or they may be inventive in their marketing. Obviously, we should mimic the latter and not the former.

Sometimes we just look at the successful businesses in our industry and gain great ideas about our own marketing. In addition, we should look at all successful people in all industries and see what we can use in ours. If some marketing technique works in another industry, it may very well work in ours. Gratitude Marketing is the basis for success in any industry and should be employed by all of us, no matter what we do.

When we look at the marketing of other businesses, we should look at how to take their techniques and material to “the next level” of creativity. We must try to stand out, in a good manner, for being different and advancing our marketing to a higher level of customer service. We must think “outside the box” and look at other possibilities. Not all of these ideas will be good, but we should consider everything we can imagine.

In addition, when we take our marketing to “the next level”, we must be able to stand behind this level of marketing. If our shipping, customer support, or other customer service does not measure up, we will be known as failing to back up our marketing promises. Don’t allow others to brand us as “Big hat, no cattle”.

One way to learn from the efforts of other businesses is to form relationships with successful people that we meet. If we don’t try to “sell” everyone whom we meet, but just get to know them, they will be willing to form those relationships from which we can share ideas and learn. We need to get to know others, decide if we like each other, and then move to establish a trust-based relationship and progress to mutual success.

How do we meet these other people? How do we start these relationships? Go networking and then meet individually with everyone whom we discover there. Get to know each other, ask questions, and share information. Get comfortable with each other and establish solutions to the needs of each other. Networking is a two-way street. It does no one any good for only one party to learn about the other.

Go networking, meet other business people, meet with them individually, learn about each other, and build relationships. Help each other get whatever both parties need and build knowledge and trust. Then apply what we learn and be creative, using our imaginations to build on what we have learned, thinking outside the box with our marketing, making sure we can back up what we promise.

Unleash your creativity and crank up your imagination in your marketing. Based on gratitude for others, you can build a successful business and gain referrals from both your networking partners and your happy clients. Please leave your comments here, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com, or call me at 360-314-8691.