What is the common objective? Understand who your customers are, who they are doing business with, and how they communicate to serve their customers.

Your job is to become the expert. Care about their problems. They worry over the quality of the sesame seed bun supplier, and so do you. Your problem is my problem. Every business has a “jargon.” Learn to speak like they do.

Unless you start the process by walking in their shoes and bonding where their journey leads, the rest does not matter. Amazingly, with this knowledge in hand, the actual strategy is easier to figure out…print or broadcast advertising. PR, Sales Promotion, AI, social media, etc., fall into place because you can more logically figure out who your customers can influence and what to do about it.

A recent example is the client’s small business, which has an event scheduled. A renowned model train artist will appear at his model train store. Who wants to see a professional artist? How about art students? We sent an email to school art teachers. We received a great response, and we expect to see many art students, customers, model train lovers, and local families at the event. This all started with understanding the store owner and his dream and showing him you do, too.

Yes. It’s all about relationships.

• Marketing keeps getting more complicated. So many media and other choices to plant your message.
• So many technologies to master.
• So many ways to delegate your responsibilities (Ok, AI, write my ad).
• Hey, STOP. Take a breath. Marketing always starts the same way; if you fail to do this, it does not matter what else you do.

View previous monthly morsels on our Free Marketing Advice page.