If you’ve spent the last few years developing a product, there’s no doubt that you believe that what you’ve done is remarkable.

The problem is to convince everybody else out there that you really do have something that can help them.

That’s why I think it’s a good idea to live and breathe your product.

I’m not saying to should take over your life (though it probably already has).

I’m saying that it needs to become a part of what you every day if you’re going to make it a success.

Credit: pixabay.com

 

Speak Frankly And Confidently About What You Do

Doing well in business is all about having a compelling value proposition. What that means in practice is having a clear narrative in your head about why people should be using your services.

If you have a really good idea why they need what you’re offering then you’re more likely to get business.

As you meet customers, be frank with them. Tell them what they need and why they need your services.

Let’s take an obvious example: accountancy. As an accountant, you have a lot to sell small businesses. For one, any new small business is unlikely to have got its head around all of the tax and expenses laws.

Here is where you step in: you can actually help a small business save money overall. And you protect them from litigation for incorrectly filing their tax returns.

One of the problem with regular salespeople is that they do not inspire confidence in the product.

They see the product as something that is separate from them.

They don’t own the product in the same way that you do.

They haven’t worked to produce it.

They don’t know all the ins and outs.

They essentially see it as a tool to make a commission.

The result?

Salespeople never really seem to believe what they’re saying. However, if you’re the creator of a product or service, it is in a sense an extension of your imagination.

And as a result, you have a basic belief in what you’re selling. This needs to come across in subtle ways to your potential customers.

They’ll internalise your confidence and straightforwardness, and you’ll make a sale.

 

Customise Your Promotional Material

Custom promotional material can help instil in customers the idea that you are a professional outfit.

And it’s often the little things that make a big difference. Things like custom lanyards, custom printed drinks bottles and bags with your business logo on them.

Often promotional material can be paired with some type of event for greater effect.

For example, if you’re running a booth at a trade show, you might consider handing out free promotional material.

 

Use YouTube

Given that YouTube is now the second most used search engine after Google, it’s probably a good idea to invest time promoting in this channel. And video promotion can be highly effective.

YouTube isn’t just television online. It’s a far more social and thriving community. And this has its many benefits.

One is that you can interact with potential customers in ways that you just can’t through conventional television.

Another is that you have far more scope to do the sort of promotional marketing you’d like to do on television if you had the chance.

Yes, there are costs: you don’t have a guaranteed audience. But you can be inventive and think about how you might go about creating an audience.

In many ways, this really can work to your advantage. After all, advertising on television is not highly directed.

The trick to success on YouTube, I believe, is to create something that customers find useful or interesting.

For example, if you’re a company that offers adventure holidays, do a documentary series on YouTube showing what people can do. Or if you’re an IT company, produce an explainer video that takes customers, step-by-step through your product.

Remember, on YouTube, you don’t have to communicate your message in a few brief seconds.

 

Instagram

People have become international stars just from posting pictures of their product on Instagram.

Think about what happened to vegan cook, Ella, after she started posting pictures of her success in making plant-based recipes.

Instagram can have the same appeal for your business. In some industries, like holidays and food, pictures are actually the best way to sell.

Now that Instagram has something like 400 million users, the potential audience is enormous.

But even if you’re not in one of these traditional industries that sell by pictures, you can still do an awful lot with Instagram.

Perhaps your company has an upcoming product launch, but the NDA has not yet been lifted. Why not post some teaser pictures of the product on Instagram, just to whet their appetite?

You could also contact some of the most influential channels on Instagram and ask those people if they’d be willing to link to your product.

Try, if you can, to create a buzz around what you’re doing.

 

Become An Expert

Lastly, one good way to promote your business, and in the process promote your product, is to become an expert.

You could write articles that are then shared in an industry magazine or on an industry website.

You could write blogs about the latest developments in your industry and submit them to news websites.

And you could also use a newswire service to get your blogs out to news outlets that serve your target audience.

Becoming an expert in your particular field can give your business a sense of legitimacy.

If you’re particularly lucky, you may find that becoming an expert in your field is something customers want.

Use this as an opportunity to sell your product and create great content. If people feel like they’re getting value out of everything you do, then this is a surefire way to establish your brand.

For instance, you could run a series of talks on YouTube that help people to understand contract law.

Then, at the end of the talk, you could have a link to your website for further information. The possibilities are endless.