Marketing Lesson from WI: White Butter vs. Yellow Butter

At dinner at Bravo Italian Restaurant in WI with my cousins last night, my cousin David, a CPA, told me a story that has a hidden marketing lesson. Seems when WI farmers make butter, it comes out white. Now, WI being the dairy capital of the heartland, they kept it white. But people, wanting it yellow, would drive across the WI state line to Illinois to buy yellow dye, then bring it back over the state line. They'd coat it yellow, so their families had what they wanted.

Moral: give your customers, clients, and prospects what they want, not necessarily what they need.

www.IncreaseYourCensus.com

10 Things to Do This Weekend to Jump Start Your Marketing

1. Create your own blog. Go to www.blogger.com/start. Mine is at http://reecefranklin.blogspot.com/.

2. Use Face book and Linked In every night, M – F for ½ hour. Post a comment on it about your industry, and how your “subdivision” helps seniors.

3. Create a one sheet that you give out at networking meetings, post to your blog, put in your marketing presentation folder, etc. It should include: 5 W’s and H, who, what, where, when, why, and how.

A. Who you are: name of company and your personal name
B. What you do for seniors
C. Where you are located
D. When are your hours – when you are available
E. Why you do what you do – not to make money, why you are so passionate
F. How to reach you: list all: blogs, website, phone, cell, Facebook, linked in, etc.

4. Set up strategic alliances with people or businesses you meet at networking meetings. Take their one sheet-no more than 6 per sub category-and put in 3 ring binders. Now you have a referral binder. Categories may include RCFE, Board and Care, AL, In home care; non medical, in home care; medical, DME’s, referral agencies, etc. (for Senior oriented business.)

5. Strategic Partners: When you go to a network meeting – always take a tour. When you meet people, ask them first what they do, and how you can help them get more business. You decide if you want to work with them. Ask self do you want to add them as a strategic partner. If yes, create alliance – you will be cross promoting and helping each other for a fee.

6. Take the one sheet – use to structure a top 10 article: Ten ways to use Facebook to get more business, 10 ways to determine if you need in home care for your parent. Like Letterman Top 10. Things you need to know about. Create this top 10 into article for blog, Social media, etc.

7. Start with your local paper. Offer a free monthly article based on the top 10 list article. Make sure they understand they get it free, but you must have the resource box at the bottom.

8. Go to articles.com, and follow their submission structure.

9. Find list of local pubs and newspapers you can target.

10. Find list of local radio you can target. Send to assignment editors with cover sheet re: you are their local source for AL, in home care, etc.

YOUR FREE GIFT – 101 ways to Market to Seniors. Send email to seniorexpo@roadrunner.com, put send 101 in subject line.

Senior Industry Survey

Please tell us the most pressing marketing problem you have right now as a person who sells to seniors. Thanks.