Biography:
Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP, is a clinical social worker and psychodramatist in Racine , Wis. She offers programs in personal and professional training and development and is the editor of the annual Guide To Health, Wellness and Creative Living in Racine , Kenosha and Elsewhere in Wisconsin , and is the author of Whole Person Marketing , for helping and healing professionals. See www.companionsinhealing.com or write karen@companionsinehaling.com for more information.
Abstract:
Marketing skills are as important as professional skills for Wellness professionals who want to succeed in their businesses. This article identifies the fundamentals of marketing, including low-cost or no-cost ideas, and typical marketing tasks.
Key words
Marketing
Target audience
Wellness promotion
Networking
Three learning objectives
Identify meaning of target audience
Develop niche with your skills
Learn components of basic marketing
Your ability to market your business is crucial to the success of your business.
In the ideal world, it is best to have a marketing plan BEFORE you open your business. This will mean identifying a budget for marketing purposes and developing a specific strategy of how you will attract keep clients and customers.
First, you will need to identify why your business exists. Your services, or products if you have them, should be specially geared to your best skills and fill a need in the community in which you work.
Now that you have identified what you offer, you will have to decide who will want what you have. The people who you expect to use your goods and services are your target audience.
They should have a distinct need for your goods or services and either have the means to pay for them or be connected to other people or places with the means to pay. Children, for instance, may be your specialty audience to receive your services, but you will be most successful if you market to their parents, grandparents, principals or teachers.
Depending on your talents, interests and the needs in your community, you may tweak your offerings to attract various or unusual target groups. For instance, your community has personal trainers in every neighborhood, and your telephone book is filled with long lists of personal trainers who work with athletes. You may decide to specialize in working with pregnant women to help them keep fit during and after pregnancy, especially if you learn that very few professionals are filling this need. Identifying your niche market – and perhaps a secondary market as well – will help you in focusing your marketing efforts and designing your marketing materials.
Get a business card. If you can afford nothing else, get a business card. This little item is your miniature billboard, advertisement, flyer and appointment card all in one neat place. It is especially important if you do not yet a have a brochure or other promotional materials. Use the best card stock you can afford and make sure your information is clearly stated, easy to read and memorable.
Look for free publicity. Send a press release to the local newspapers, large and small, about your new business, the open house that you are planning, special services that you offer or a link to a national event like National SmokeOut Day. Volunteer for a local talk show and know that cable television channels and other venues sometimes offer free exposure as well.
If your budget allows you to purchase advertisements, pick carefully. Select newspapers, publications, programs, newsletters, radio shows and other places that will reach your target audience. Ask the advertising representative about the demographics of the venue.
Know your strengths. If you like to talk to groups, make yourself available for demonstrations and presentations in the community. If you are a good writer, offer to write articles for publications or Web sites related to your target audience. You will enjoy these marketing tasks more when you enjoy them and do them well.
Network everywhere you can . Your networking may be informal, seeing colleagues, former coworkers and acquaintances for breakfast or lunch. Or you may want join or visit professional organizations, special interest groups, and business-related groups like Business Network International.
Get help and support from others. This reaching out is not only part of networking, it also allows you to gain from others' hard-won wisdom. Look for mentors, coaches, classes, support groups, books and articles.
Keep assessing, evolving and experimenting . Determine if your actions are working in gaining clients and it working. Periodically ask – how did you hear about me – and trust your intuition about the direction that is best for you.
