As a brand marketing coach for small businesses, my number one job is to drag my clients out of the past perception of what marketing was into the future. I’m even writing a book about it called “Gentle Marketing”. It’s all about attraction, gratitude and giving without expecting anything in return.
Here are some other tips to market for the future:

Don’t get crowdsmashed
Attune your business to consumer interests by addressing these three questions:

• What do customers love about your business and what one change could make them love it even more? Example: Disney is replacing its popular decade-old FastPass, which allows visitors to skip long lines, with an RFID-encoded MagicBand bracelet that unlocks the resort experience with a flick of the wrist.
• What aspects of your customers’ experience cause annoyance and what one change could eliminate that point of irritation? Example: Starbucks addressed public pressure to reduce trash by rolling out $1 reusable plastic cups, along with the incentive of a 10 percent discount each time the cups get used.
• What attributes or values make customers choose your business over others and what one change could deepen or reward their commitment?Example: Nearly a million small businesses have started using Square card readers, enabling them to complete purchases on the spot while also responding to customers’ preference

via Marketing Strategies for the Future.

Whether in the shower, on vacation or in bed, I am ALWAYS thinking about marketing. I’m thinking about my clients’ marketing, about my own and about everyone else’s. Marketing is simply the only way to tell people in pain how you can help them. And I want to help a lot of people. So if you’re like me, get on board with the marketing strategies of the future and help more people.
Need more chicken soup for your biz? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk!

Related articles

• The Anatomy of Tomorrow’s Inbound Marketing Strategy Today (seomoz.org)
• Is it time for a brand refresh? (happycreativeblog.wordpress.com)
• 10 crazy small business marketing strategies that just might work (holykaw.alltop.com)