Chocolate Marketing-Harness The Power Of Chocolate For Your Marketing

Chocolate is unquestionably the number one comfort food. Worldwide, no other word excites our hearts and minds, yes, even our palates to action. It can be obtained in many forms. There is hot chocolate, cold chocolate, and spicy chocolate. If your passion is rich, dark, bittersweet, or milky sweet it can be easily satisfied. There is even white chocolate for those who fancy a light, creamy taste without the flavor that the alternatives deliver. What is it about chocolate that so permeates our subconscious until we ultimately indulge our craving?

If you look at all the characteristics that this confection is noted for you will undeniably find the list lacking nothing. The very first few that come to my mind are:

1. Sweet or bittersweet taste


2. Rich, creamy indulgence


3. Warm, inviting, comfort food


4. Nothing quite smells like chocolate

And that is just for starters. However, its features are not what we crave. We crave it for what it does for us. As I ponder this subject, to better focus on the answers to these questions, I can think of no other chocolaty indulgence that I would rather have than My Little Taste of Italy's sinfully, sensual, rich and luscious cappuccino brownies. They are so well known, on both coasts of America and in between, that they have been dubbed, "Orgasmic!"

Mama Gloria and Liz have discovered the key to satisfy the most discerning palate. Their tasty treats include chocolate biscotti that are to die for fabulous. Did I tell you their treats are known all across America? Well, that isn't quite accurate. They are also ship their goodies overseas to our armed forces, but this is another tale for another time.

So, what is it that Mama Gloria and Liz have discovered that has enthralled the world? They have figured out that we cannot live without chocolate and have used that knowledge to capture our appetites and our hearts. When we look at what chocolate does for us, and what makes the desire so strong that we cannot ignore it, we discover the essence of true marketing potential. What is it that My Little Taste of Italy's Cappuccino Brownies do for the lucky soul Let's uncover their secret.

What chocolate does for the consumer is summed up in how it makes them feel. Some of these benefits are:

1. Satisfies our senses


2. Soothes our nerves


3. Makes us feel good about ourselves


4. Provides health benefits

It is a well known fact that chocolate increases our endorphins, actively producing a sense of well being, and serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant. Recently I discovered that it is also beneficial to smokers. "It has shown promise in that it may reverse some of their smoking-related impairment in blood vessel function," according to a study in the Oct. 4, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

But what does all of this have to do with marketing? The answer is simple, EVERYTHING! Think of it, if you could harness the benefits of chocolate in your advertising you would ensure your business' success. If you simply find a way to make your product or service compelling to your consumer you will seldom loose a sale. Sit down right now and create a list of all of your product or service's features. Then from that you will be able to build the list that will clearly define the benefits to your customers. With that knowledge firmly in hand you will have the key to the best marketing plan that you have ever prepared.

Ginger Marks and Kim Emerson are co-owners of Nibroc Marketing Solutions http://www.nibrocmarketing.com Ginger is also the author of "Presentational Skills for the Next Generation" available through her company website at http://www.DocUmeant.net . My Little Taste of Italy can be found at http://www.mylittletasteofitaly.com/.

Definition - Marketing

Everyone's idea of marketing is different. Each textbook defines it differently, and each professional will include different aspects of marketing. Marketing is a lot of things.

Merriam-Webster defines marketing as:

1 a: the act or process of selling or purchasing in a market b: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service

2: an aggregate of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer.
This definition couldn't be any more general, but that in itself is the point: marketing is anything used to promote, sell, or distribute a product or service. Marketing can be passing out flyers to promote. Marketing can be the way you complete a sell. Marketing can also be who will sell your products. Marketing must be an integrated process that combines a wide variety of activities to promote, sell and distribute your products or services.

Marketing starts with determining a want or need. You must identify a reason for your product or service in order to have something to sell. Once you determine the want or need, you must create or establish the product or service that will satisfy that need or desire. Although this sounds like the beginnings of a business plan, it is also the basis for your entire marketing plan.

There are many steps to marketing once you have established a product or service that satisfies and want or need. You must make decisions about your marketing mix (product, price, place (distribution), and promotion), and you must incorporate your marketing collateral with every step. You also must combine your sales strategies with your marketing strategies to design a successful business model.

Marketing is a lot of things, but ultimately, it is any technique or process of promoting, selling, and distributing your products or services.

Nate Stockard offers free consulting at Stockard & Associates, Inc, a marketing and design firm in Houston, TX specializing in small business solutions.

His 13 years of marketing experience is also put on display at The Market Seedling, an informative source of information, articles, tips, and advice for small business owners and marketers.

Marketing Is Education, Education Is Marketing

This really sums it up in a nutshell because when you look at it, the only reason why we are bombarded with advertising is because when we move through our life and require something that a marketer has been hammering on us with, we will instantly pick up on their marketing phrase.

Example: if you are thirsty... _____ is it!

Example: if you are hungry... our _______ is open 24 hours.

Example: if you want healthier fast food... _________, eat fresh.

In order for you to be able to fill in the blanks, you needed to be educated on them first, so when it came time to eat or drink, the first answer is the one they have programmed you with.

This is no different with the national chain repair shop, or the mobile phone provider with thousands of people standing behind you. The funny thing is you are already connecting who I am describing with my general description.

That is awesome and should certainly demonstrate to you that Marketing is Education and Education Is Marketing.

Now, to apply this to your business, figure out some attributes that people could and should be educated on so when they think about something that relates to your business, they will think about you.

Write about it in a Blog, Ezine Article, Podcast, Newsletter, etc. and get it out there. The internet will take care of the first three and the fourth one can be fed names and emails from the first three.

Why choose the methods I just described?

The reason is that the major search engines are always searching out the most current and relevant information on subjects that people are looking for information on. These search engines have become smarter now as they gather more information on our searching habits.

It is now to the point that if you type in "rich green lawn" in a search engine, you will find responses like "...Everyone wants a healthy green lawn, and typically in our consumer society ... Add some lime if needed, and a phosphate-rich fertilizer..." or "...Thicken your lawn and repair those bare spots with CANADA GREEN, a fine grass seed mixture that grows healthy, rich, green grass. ..."

Some interesting attributes of each of the searches, is the ones on the top are educating your about how you can have a "rich green lawn" not just a bunch of cheap plugs of keywords/phrases. They are providing education along with a solution to your problem or answer to your question.

The information will be the best when it is not found just anywhere on the internet, but if you have some specialized knowledge about how to do it better, faster, cheaper and you share this information with the general public in vague terms, still demonstrating that while the person you are marketing to has more information now, but that you, the marketer are still the expert, they will still come to you for more information.

In other words, be of service to people and they will be of service to you, but do it with the mindset of truly assisting people to attaining their goals without expecting anything in return.

Greg Nicholls has a great amount of experience in many facets of marketing and advertising. "Having owned four businesses, I know that marketing and advertising is the most important components, next to a rock solid business plan and product." - Greg Nicholls

If you have a large or small business and desire to learn some hot and exciting know-how and get it all from Greg Nicholls in one place, visit http://www.EffectiveMarketing101.com, go there now.

The first step to developing a successful business is to take care and control of your marketing; if nobody knows who you are, then who will buy from you?

Company Anniversary Marketing ROI - Events Do it Best

Events provide the best Return On Investment (ROI) of any promotional tactic.

Event and sponsorship marketing is the single most effective way to reach and move audiences, according to Promo magazine. So, to get the best ROI from your corporate, brand or organizational anniversary, use events that generate vibrant, emotional connections with customers and potential customers, and build employee pride and passion.

In a word, events can drive your marketing communications in ways traditional and new media cannot.

Events communicate in personal, powerful, interactive ways.

Knowing this, design events that help accomplish your marketing goals. You can use anniversary-marketing events to:

*Introduce a new product or service upgrade
*Announce a new company initiative
*Expand into new territories
*Integrate employees of newly acquired or merged companies
*Enhance the reputation of your CEO and your company
*Provide product information
*Celebrate a successful year or project completion
*Target your marketing
*Position your company as a community leader

Events generate understanding and involvement

Tell your employees and your customers WHY you have bought a sponsorship or created an event. You want the support of your employees so they understand why precious resources are being directed to these endeavors. Tell them how your past is the strongest criterion that people have to judge your future.

Events provide interaction between you and your audience, so structure that contact carefully.

Your competitors may already be employing events for their marketing. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store took its chuck wagon on the road with a tour by Grammy award-winning artists Alison Krause and Union Station. And Wella and Sebastian combined for a 10-city tour in which models show off the latest hairstyles and makeup products for salon owners. John Hancock Financial Services made extensive use of former baseball greats and Olympic athletes to interact with its constituents.

People love to meet stars, so put your guests in direct contact with well-known athletes or local celebrities, such as baseball players, professional golfers, media celebrities. Have baseballs signed for each attendee. Have the golfers play a par three hole at your charity tournament and have your photographer available. Have your guests mix with Olympic athletes. Create that personal experience for your guests.

Don't forget your employees. Bring the celebrities to meet your employees. Introduce them and have their photos taken. This increases employee support and pride.

Design events for your specific audiences

Sometimes you will develop events that reach a very small, specific audience, for example, electro-chemical engineers who use your product. Or your audience may be broader based, perhaps parents of young children. Fisher-Price developed its 75th Anniversary Celebration 12-city tour that features two 60' x 60' traveling play areas. Company spokesperson: "It helps parents remember how special the Fisher-Price experience was for them and how meaningful it still is for their children." Other audiences might include opinion leaders and government officials who can have major impact upon your endeavors.

Be creative in funding event marketing

Analyze your budget to find funds for anniversary marketing events: advertising and direct mail expenditures, a monthly newsletter, counter cards, boxes of logoed mugs that will end up in the warehouse. Move those funds into the powerful field of event marketing. Integrate events into your total marketing strategy and goals and they will effectively develop and cement your brand in your customers' minds and hearts. Your audiences may remain the same. You are just rethinking how best to reach and move them to action.

Help find a solution to a significant problem

Use your organization's anniversary to throw support behind an important cause. The Home Depot Foundation's mission is to build affordable homes for working families. Avon elevated its image immeasurably, and raises tremendous amounts of money to eradicate breast cancer, with the annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Get help to do it right

Don't think you can create a powerful, effective and efficient anniversary events marketing program by throwing it on an already overworked marketing department. Or if you do, get them outside, experienced professional help. Find a partner who can think and plan and act strategically to incorporate a new, long-range events-based initiative into your existing marketing efforts. Find an organization that can move you quickly and decisively into this new arena.

Measure before, during and after to verify results. This is serious business and real money, and you deserve a real, measurable return for your investment.

Finally, embrace events because they provide the best ROI for your anniversary-marketing dollar.

Ken Owens, president of Owens Marketing Group, http://OwensMarketingGroup.com, uses powerful marketing and branding tools of events and sports sponsorships, and aggressive public relations to help companies grow.

Ken is a member of the Kullberg Consulting Group (KCG) a strategic alliance of sixty entrepreneurially driven marketing and marketing communications companies, whose service, http://MarketingMilestone.com - provides effective assistance to companies celebrating company or brand anniversaries. KCG brings together the combined experience of its members working with over 585 companies, in 21 major industry groups.

Small Business Marketing Strategies - Niche Marketing Begins With You

Many entrepreneurs think that in developing their small business marketing strategies, they are best off selling to the widest possible market. They are afraid to pursue a niche because they fear they'll lose business by turning away customers. The truth is that if you are not marketing to a distinct group of customers and offering them a unique solution, you will not be heard or found online.

Benefits of Niche Marketing When you market to a specific niche, you can focus your marketing resources. You understand the needs and language of your niche, so you can communicate better with them and speak directly to their situation.

By focusing on a niche, you become an expert at providing your service or product. And as an expert, you command higher fees and leverage your efforts to create multiple streams of income.

Above all, when you target a niche, you can differentiate yourself. You significantly reduce your competition and create a distinctive personal brand.

Niche Definition There are many definitions of niche and target market, and the two are often used interchangeably. But there is an important distinction.

A target market is the group of people most likely to buy your product or service. They are the people to whom your product is being marketed

A niche adds another dimension. A niche combines your target market (WHO) with the solution you are providing (WHAT). When you combine your "what" with your "who", you have your niche.

Niche = target market (who) + the problem you are solving/need you are fulfilling (what)

The key to understanding niche marketing is realizing that people don't buy a service or product, they buy a solution. That solution can help them solve a problem or achieve a goal. Being a solution provider is critical for good relationship marketing. When you become the solution provider for your target market, you are a winner.

How to Find Your Niche To identify your niche, is it best to start with your "who" or your "what"?

You can go either way, but in many cases, it is best to start with YOU.

You can't be great at everything, but there is an area in which you have something special to offer -- a unique skill or perspective or approach. What is unique about you and what you have to offer? What are your passions, skills, interests and expertise?

Once you have identified that, think about who wants what you have to offer. There has to be synchronicity between what you have to offer and what your target market wants. When you find that connection, you can identify your niche.

Remember, there is only one YOU, and you will ultimately attract those who find you compelling. Be true to yourself and you have the ability to help other people in ways that nobody else can.

Cindy Schulson is a small business and attraction marketing coach. She helps solo entrepreneurs identify and attract their ideal niche so they can market themselves effectively and authentically. Get your free copy of her report "Ten Steps to Finding and Attracting Your Ideal Niche" at Attract Your Niche

Attraction Marketing - Put Your Marketing on Auto-Pilot

Years ago when I was looking to add new clients to my consulting practice, I had to proactively go out and seek them.

The marketing strategies I used included networking and speaking engagements, along with keeping in touch with my contact list of friends and business associates in the hopes they would refer clients when appropriate.

These relationship marketing efforts supported my business 100% in the early years.

But, although I'm embarrassed to admit it because I should know better, when I got busy and had plenty of client work, I fell off my marketing wagon.

I just didn't have the time. Or, I guess one could argue, I just didn't make the time to keep up my proactive marketing efforts.

So what happened if I lost a client or two, and suddenly needed more work? I'd have to quickly rev-up my marketing in the hopes I could generate more work in a short amount of time.

Not an ideal scenario by any stretch. But it's also pretty typical, especially for independent service professionals.

Then, several years ago, I discovered attraction marketing.

With attraction marketing you attract qualified leads TO your business so you don't have to go out chasing them.

You forget about "selling" and you focus on "serving."

And just like a magnet, you start attracting prospects and clients. They see you or hear you or read something you've written and if it resonates with a problem or need they have, they come to you.

Can you imagine what it would be like to have potential clients emailing you, calling you and visiting your web site all on their own?

Instead of you having to track them down and convince them to call, email or visit your website?

That's attraction marketing. And it's so much easier and comfortable than traditional sales and marketing.

And, if you do a good job of creating a very clear and concise positioning for yourself and your business, you'll attract exactly the right clients and anyone who is not a good fit for your services will not be attracted.

Talk about saving time! You no longer have to wade through an entire list of prospects to find the ones who are a good fit. And you no longer have to rely on cold-calling or other more traditional sales methods to get work.

You can actually focus on doing what you do best and THAT is what attracts clients to you. Yes, you do have to put a few elements in place to start generating awareness of you and your services, but again it becomes more about serving than selling.

The best part is, you can get off the revenue roller coaster and create a more steady business this way. Because you always have new prospects coming into your marketing funnel.

Attraction marketing doesn't have to replace your other methods of marketing. For example, I still network and keep up with my relationship marketing and speaking/teleseminars. But it sure is an easy way to really step up your results and practically put your marketing on auto-pilot.

(C) Copyright 2006 Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is the founder and president of DLC Marketing, Inc. and The National Association of Home-Based Business Moms. She is also the author of The Career-at-Home Mom: Secrets for Earning a Six-Figure Income While Having Time for Your Family. She's a marketing and home-based business coach and international speaker who has shared the stage with celebrity teachers from "The Secret." You can register for Debbie's free special report, "Why Marketing Isn't Enough" and get a complimentary subscription to her ezine, Stepping Up! at http://www.debbielachusa.com