Marketing Through Education

They say Content is King. People place a value on shared knowledge. In other words, education.

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." (Henry B. Adams)

That idea is very important for a business person. Educate someone and you never know what kind of referrals you may get from them down the road. By educating potential customers, you gain their trust and confidence, present a knowledgeable and professional appearance, make a memorable impression, and help them to make an informed purchase.

There are many ways to educate potential customers and you should exploit and many methods and possible.

1. Articles online and in print.
2. Business website with content.
3. Monthly newsletters or ezines.
4. Paid ads that look like an article.
5. Seminars.

Another benefit of offering something educational, especially if it is free, is that it can be used to convince your chosen local media (TV, radio, newspaper) to give you free exposure.

Traditional media is not the only place to offer your educational expertise. Niche markets like to learn too. So now it's time to package up all of your educational information and take it on the road to local groups, unions, professional organizations, corporations, police departments, etc. Contact the secretary of the organization or the manager of a department, send them a brief summary of what you have to offer and ask to meet with them. A 30 minute meeting should be enough to convince them distribute your informative articles to their group, publish you in their newsletter or even to set up a seminar for their group.

Now sweeten the deal, these niche markets also respond well to discounts. Many organizations offer various discount programs and benefits to their members. You may be well served to devise a discount program that these organizations can offer to their members. Then the organization will do your advertising for you.

As you can see, few educational efforts on your part can have far reaching benefits. Be a teacher, effect eternity.