Marketing To The Business Sector
By Jimmy Krug.
When I first started in the publishing business back in the mid-90’s, I “accidentally” connect myself with the business sector without realizing what I was really doing at the time. Turned out to be one of those “good” accidents! You see, back when the Internet was really heating up for the first time, all I wanted to do was sell lots of info/how-to booklets all over the world. That was the “business model” I was attracted to. Instead, I wound up bypassing the private sector and focused my efforts upon the business sector instead.
What a great decision that turned out to be! You see, publishing for the commercial “end user” isn’t all that different that publishing to the “residential” user.
Services like MySpace, Twitter, FaceBook, etc. are all designed to plug you into a network of people who have a potential interest in your products. Throw out everything and keep the word “Network” in mind.
In the business or commercial sector, the first time I connected with a Credit Union who purchased my publications to market their services to a client – I was IN a big network with a fraction of the effort it would take to do the same in today’s “social networks.”
What advantages does the publishing information and marketing it to the commercial sector have over that of the private sector.
1. They have a lot more money to spend. A lot more than the average working man or woman who has to buy groceries, put gas in the car, etc.
2. They’re used to spending hundreds and thousands of dollars to achieve their objectives. You’ve gotta sell a lotta books to “Jack – The FaceBook” guy to do the same in the private sector.
What kind of stuff do you publish for the business market?
*Training materials
*Marketing courses
*How-To information
*Marketing and publicity services, etc.
*Consulting Services
*Ad Copy Services
*Design Services
The publications that you’re selling to the “private sector” can be used to validate your credentials (as an expert) to the business sector.
It’s a model I’m still using to this day to grow twice as large, twice as fast.
Do I still market to the private sector? Sure. That accounts for 20% of my income. I have several products being created that give more concise information on how exactly to do what I’m talking about. But let me be honest in saying this… if you’ve been on this board over a period of years, there’s probably very little that you don’t already know about marketing.
Maybe not so much about publishing… but you still have a solid grasp of the subject.
What you have to ask yourself is; am I hunting squirrels when I should be hunting Buffalo? Yes, there’s a lot of squirrels in the wild. But you have a “bad day” or “bad month” and you don’t eat! You bag a Buffalo and not only do you have food for a few months, you can even make a jacket out of the thing.
How many squirrels does it take to make a jacket?
Online Mentor Magazine – November 2009
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Jimmy, I have been doing something similar to this for the past year with a little success. I’m really glad that you wrote about this because you gave me a much clearer perspective on how I can move forward with marketing my services to businesses. I tried selling products online to help individuals make money until last year. I made some money from month to month, but then I decided to focus on local businesses for awhile to see how I’d do. I almost doubled my income immediately, but have been having difficulties figuring out how to market to businesses properly.
I’m still working on it because I realize you’re 100% correct, there is a lot more money to be made helping businesses succeed than most people realize. I just need a few more pieces to the puzzle, but I’m definitely on to something.
Keep up the good work! You and Jim have great information to share!
Reminds me of what Jim Straw always says, sell to the people who are buying! If you can offer a business a better way to earn money, they’ll buy.