subject: Reverse Marketing Strategies: How Offering Helpful Tips Can Help Your Business [print this page] In today's difficult economic environment people are trying to save money in every way they can. While this may seem to be bad news for your business it can actually prove to be helpful. The more money people can save on some things the more money they will have to spend on those things they need or want which may include your products or services. By offering people tips on how to accomplish certain goals or ways to save money you can build a relationship of trust which will make them more likely to come to you when they need the product or service you offer.
Writing articles containing helpful or money saving tips is a great research marketing tool and one that is easy to apply using the Internet. Here is how it works.
Let's say for example that you own a business that sells pet supplies. Many people have pets and there are many pet supplies stores both on and off line for people to purchase from. You could waste time trying to convince consumers that the supplies and food you carry for various pets is the best or cheapest and compete against hundreds of other pet supplies doing the same thing or you could provide consumers with free advice and helpful tips related to your business but not trying to sell anything.
For example, thousands of people own pets. Many of these people are first time pet owners and are struggling with behavior or training issues with their pets. You may have raised your own pets and may have had your own issues that you learned to overcome. Sharing that experience with people helps them to deal with a very real problem. For example, housebreaking a puppy can be a frustrating experience for new dog owners. Giving them tips on how to effectively housebreak their puppy will make them happier and grateful to you. So the next time they want to buy a new toy for Fido who do you think they will buy from? If you had the choice of buying from someone who gave you really helpful and knowledgeable advice or someone who just wanted your money who would you choose?
By offering someone something they can really use, you establish a feeling of trust and since that consumer feels they can trust you they are more likely to purchase from you than some one just selling dog food or toys.
This type of reverse marketing can work for almost any business whether you are offering goods or services. It works because you helping people with very real problems and not trying to sell anything. By not selling you are convincing people that you are who they should be buying from because your real concern is in helping them and not the bottom line.
That is the beauty of reverse marketing it is an inexpensive way of advertising by letting the customers come to you rather than by you going to them. Only customers who need your product, and are therefore more inclined to buy will contact you making reverse marketing both economical and profitable for you.
