Overview of Educational Marketing

2. "Marketing is so basic that it cannot be considered a separate
function. It is the whole business seen from the point of view of
it's final result, that is, from the customer's point of view . . .
Peter Drucker
• Marketing’s job is to capture the attention of the target
market, facilitate the prospect’s information gathering, and present a
low risk next step in the buying process.
• Most businesses, however, promote features and benefits and . . .
Platitudes
• ‘Best Service’ ‘Highest Quality’ ‘Friendly People’ ‘Most Reliable’
• Take the test – can your competitors say the same things that you say
in your ads? If so, your ad fails.
• Are you telling prospects why they would be absolute fools to do
business with anyone but you . . . regardless of price! ?

3. Why Old Fashioned Marketing Isn’t Working
Up until the 1980s, sellers had the ability to get in front of the
prospect, make a presentation, use some type of ‘close’, and walk
away with a sale. Why? The Seller was King!
Less Competition Buyers Needed Little Information
Fewer Choices Low Buyer Resistance
Low Technology Easier Buying Decisions
Low Buyer Education
But the wild 90’s brought changes that gave the power to the Buyer
Increased Competition Increased Buyer Resistance
Many Choices Longer Buying Cycles
Increased Technology Price Competition
Increased Information Identical Marketing Messages !

4. If Sellers Don’t Change How They Market
Their Products And Services . . .
It becomes a price war
The Buyer has the power, and there is now a
Confidence Gap between the Buyer and the Seller.
The Confidence Gap represents the Buyer’s inability to tell if
any of the businesses, or any of the products or services, are
any better, any different, or any worse than any of the others.
The result is that the Buyers stall and shop PRICE

5. Overcoming The Confidence Gap
Requires a Two Step Solution
Develop a strong ‘Inside Reality’, which is the real value that
you bring to your market based on your products or services,
your people, your quality, etc.
Your ‘Inside Reality’ includes your Unique Selling Proposition
– that extra ‘something’ that truly differentiates you from
the competition.
Carefully develop an accurate ‘Outside Perception’, which is
the way your company is viewed by prospective customers.
Advertising, marketing and selling activities all help to form
your ‘Outside Perception’.
Educational Marketing is an extremely effective tool
to develop an accurate Outside Perception

6. How An Educational Marketing System Works
1. Interrupt prospective customers by identifying and
hitting their ‘Hot Buttons’. This is the first step in getting
prospects to pay attention to your marketing.
2. Engage the prospects by promising them that by
continuing to read your ad or brochure, they will get
information that will help them.
3. Educate by identifying the important and relevant
issues that prospects need to be aware of, then show
them how your company addresses those issues. Build a
case for your business!
4. Offer – give the prospects an easy, low risk way to get
more information and take the next step toward
learning more about you and how you can help them.

7. No One Said It Was Easy!
• Developing a message that will grab the attention of and
resonate with your prospective customers requires a lot of time.
• Getting the message to the right prospects at the right time
takes a lot of strategic planning.
• Most business owners simply do not have the time and / or
resources to properly implement this critical component of
business development.
• Outsourcing your marketing program will save you money, and
will generate better results.
RiverMist Marketing
MARKETING HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
678.935.7265
www.rivermistmarketing.com