Magnet marketing is the art of attracting the right leads, not all leads
A phrase we use a lot around here is, “Be a magnet versus a bullhorn.” As part of our relationship marketing philosophy, our agency is all about gaining leads in a way that focuses on long-term customer delight.
When we aim to build a relationship with potential customers by providing care and delight, we can attract leads that are stronger and more likely to come back again and again. This is magnet marketing; marketing that attracts the right leads for the business that will stick with you for the long term.
Old methods of marketing made use of elevator pitches and mass “bullhorn” messaging. The goal was to reach as many people as possible in as little time as possible. This is called bullhorn marketing. Its philosophy is to blast out a message, getting it as far as possible and then waiting for people to hear it and respond. And, at its heart, bullhorn marketing relies on interrupting people. Things like television commercials or radio advertisements, for example.
Magnet marketing is not dependant on interruption. Instead, it is based on asking permission and getting the person’s okay. It’s the art of building a relationship on trust and value. It’s a serving-over-selling philosophy. Only then does the marketer begin to push messages and offer solutions. Permission marketing uses things like social media and email campaigns to communicate with an audience. This audience has opted in; they don’t mind receiving communications from the marketer.
Permission marketing is the “how” of magnet marketing. But the “why” of magnet marketing is rooted in relationships. To be blunt, relationships will always be more powerful than marketing. People want to buy from a company they know, like, and trust. And the only way for this to happen is for the company to build a relationship with their audience and customers.
We don’t want to knock old-school marketing. Advertising campaigns can have an important role in getting your name out to people. But the overall purpose of marketing is to build relationships. This is how the business builds a dedicated following who is more likely to repeat business and refer services to friends and family.
In order to get there, companies have to start by focusing on starting and building relationships.
The first thing we do when we bring on a new client is to begin to understand their desired audience and to build buyer personas. By knowing who the audience is, we can create materials that draw them to us, that interest them and help them solve the problems they have.
To attract the right leads, we have to first know the right audience who we market to. Next, we start to curate content that they’ll like, interact with, and learn from. We start to talk about the business. Not in a bragging sort of way. But we want to let people know what they’re all about.
Because people buy from companies they know, like, and trust, it’s critical that our clients are telling their story. Through this online storytelling, we can attract the right audience, by enticing people who are similar to the company and who would be interested in not only the product but the brand.
Our goal is to always be a magnet in our marketing. We want to tell stories online that magnetize people to us, that draws them in and captivates them. They’re interested in these stories because it relates to them in some way. It could be a product they’ve been looking for (or maybe they didn’t know they needed) or maybe a service. Whatever it is, the product and the company are solving a problem the potential customer has.
Being a magnet marketer is the key to attracting like-minded people to you. When you know who your customers are, you can create marketing material that interests them and speaks to them. You have similar ideals, goals, and can provide a valuable exchange. By knowing your ideal client, you know the right pull to draw them in.
A part of that is understanding that you only want to draw in people you can help. There is no point in targeting people who don’t need your product; they’ll never be interested and they’ll never follow you. How wasteful is it to market to people who don’t care about what you do?
But, when you attract the right leads, they stick to you. The more people you attract, the stronger the magnetism is. People begin to refer you to their friends, families, and loved ones. They become passionate about what you do. Your draw becomes greater, and you reach farther and farther.
They’re able to become passionate about you because you don’t spam them. Instead, you put out thoughtful, customer-service driven information. You work towards providing value to potential customers and seek to solve problems and help your customer where they are at. Transparency means your customers and followers can trust you. You’re the knowledgeable, friendly resource they can look to as they try to solve problems.
By doing so, you build relationships, work towards providing your customer with delight, and you start friendships. Together, you’re in a mutually beneficial relationship. There is strength in being aligned with others. When we’re all pulling the same direction we’re all stronger.
That’s what magnet marketing is all about. Because at the end of the day, Relationships are the greatest currency in business. Relationships will always be more powerful than marketing.
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