7 Fundamental Truths About Marketing IT Services - Lesson 2

The second big truth about marketing IT services is...

"Great marketing is not about YOUR ego, what YOU want, what YOUR employees think, and the opinions of your peers, spouse, or friends."

It is about YOUR customer, what THEY want, and MOST IMPORTANT – what THEY will respond to. Trust NOTHING else.

You see, the problem with marketing in this industry is that no one believes it will work. Here's what I mean...

IT business owners often rely on the opinions of their friends, employees, or spouse MORE than they rely on time-proven principles of marketing...or on tangible, proven results. In many cases, this is a big case of the blind leading the blind. I often get comments from my clients who say they are afraid to send out the letters/campaigns I've given them for fear it doesn't look "professional"...or it's not the "image" they want to portray.

What they don't realize is that they are focusing on what THEY want...not what works, and certainly not what their clients will respond to.

Here's a tip: Never take marketing advice from someone who is struggling or doesn’t have a marketing plan or system themselves…you wouldn’t take financial advice from a broke person, would you? Yet I see this all the time…

The only reason 'image' advertising agencies exist is because of the ego of the owner. Advertising agencies figured out a long time ago that all they have to do is appeal to the ego of the owner with high-design and big corporate imagery and the owner (their client) is thrilled...never mind that the "professional" looking campaigns they are creating don't facilitate the sale.

If you want a big, hurtful and honest lesson about marketing, then get this: Never get so wrapped up in your own image that you overlook the fact that your $10 slick brochure or $10,000 web site isn't doing anything to bring in a client.

And if you really want to learn what it takes to sell IT services, please get to my upcoming seminar in Seattle.