• Education-Based Marketing

by Trey Ryder

There is a misconception in service businesses that your marketing's most important function is to promote what you do, or in other words, your services. But the fact is, the most important function of your marketing should be to establish that you are knowledgeable, capable and can be trusted.

Most people don't do business with people they don't trust, especially when it comes to buying services. When they buy your services they are, in fact, buying the talents, skills, and personalities of you or your team of professionals.

Education-Based Marketing is a powerful marketing strategy that establishes trust and credibility using educational messages. It is the direct opposite of traditional marketing, which uses selling-based messages.

Education-Based Marketing captures prospects earlier in the decision process and establishes a relationship of trust, resulting in dramatically higher sales and closing ratios. Those service businesses that seek to develop a relationship of trust by delivering a non-threatening educational message will position themselves as their prospect's first choice from which to buy your product or service.

In this article Trey Ryder explains how to implement an education based marketing inititative:

7 secrets of dignified marketing by Trey Ryder

SECRET #1: Make sure you establish your credibility. You do this most effectively by educating prospective clients about their problems and the solutions you recommend. Also, you should offer specific facts about your background, education, specialized training and experience. In addition, you should describe how you have helped other clients in similar situations. Prospects won't hire your services until they trust your knowledge and skills. So make sure you establish your credibility.

SECRET #2: Establish yourself as an authority. Psychology Professor Robert Cialdini (Arizona State University), in his book INFLUENCE, explained how people respond favorably and automatically when they view the other person as an authority. If your prospective clients perceive you as an authority, they will be drawn to you -- and persuaded by you -- at both the conscious and subconscious levels. To improve your marketing, establish yourself as an authority.

SECRET #3: Take full advantage of the media. Whether you buy media exposure (advertise) or get free editorial exposure (articles in print and interviews on radio and TV), the media allow you to put your message in front of a staggering number of prospects. If you've tried using the media and didn't get the response you wanted, you probably need to rework your message. To get inquiries from the largest number of prospects, make sure they can get what you offer without effort, pressure, hassle or commitment.

SECRET #4: Don't pressure prospective clients. Traditional selling teaches us to "close early and often." But I don't know anyone who likes to be pressured into hiring anyone's services. When you use Education-Based Marketing, you never make any effort to sell. Instead, you identify the person's problem and then educate him about his problem and the solutions you can provide. During the education process, you explain what your prospect risks by allowing his problem to persist. But you never seek to gain a commitment until your prospect is ready to make a decision.

SECRET #5: Direct your marketing only toward people who express their interest. You could spend years -- and countless dollars -- trying to reach people who don't need or want to hire your services. For efficient marketing, focus your efforts only on people who show their interest in what you offer. To identify prospects, use a marketing program that offers your prospects free information. Then, to get your

information or fact kit, they call your office and give you their names and addresses. This allows you to target your efforts toward qualified prospects.

SECRET #6: Avoid selling-based marketing. When you use selling-based marketing, you take on the role of a salesperson hawking his wares. Using selling-based marketing is a mistake because it causes prospective clients to question whether they can trust you. If you want to maintain the highest level of credibility, avoid selling-based marketing.

SECRET #7: Use the Ryder Method of Education-Based Marketing. When you use this innovative method, you promote your knowledge, not your services. At every step in the process, you educate your prospect about his problem and the solutions you can provide. Education-Based Marketing brings you a high level of credibility and an ongoing flow of new clients and referrals. What's more, it strengthens client loyalty and builds your image as an authority.

Education-Based Marketing is the marketing of today -- and the marketing of the future. That's why the American Marketing Association featured this unique method on the front page of its national publication, Marketing News. If you want to improve your marketing results, I encourage you to test this proven method.
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Migalhas International is partnering with Trey Ryder, president of Trey Ryder LLC. We are pleased to feature his articles in this column. Trey is a law-firm consultant who specializes in education-based marketing for attorneys. His weekly newsletter features marketing articles, helpful tips, and proven advice on how to attract new clients, increase referrals, strengthen client loyalty and build your image as an authority without selling. He can be reached at [email protected]

© Trey Ryder LLC
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