Write Results Now Blog
Your Business Proposal Idea: Just an Idea or a Good Idea? The Whys & Hows of Marketing Concepts
by Felice Stahl on 05/31/11
A new business proposal idea for products and services is just that, an idea.
The degree to which it becomes a good idea depends on information garnered from vital research conducted to determine whether there is any perceived value by the market of potential users. When marketing teams make the investment to elicit this kind of valuable feedback, they are able to make more informed decisions about maneuvering, or even aborting a launch. While research can positively support the marketability of a product or service, it indeed might also bring out opposing views about its viability in the marketplace. Although that resulting information presents a reality that is often difficult to accept, it is essential to informing a smart business decision that thwarts a costly launch of a product that is currently not right for the market.
Behold the Consumer!
Marketing concepts are a critical element in market research and in branding strategy. These concepts offer a brief, clear description of the prospective product/service including what its business potential is, and what its proposed benefits are to the would-be consumer for them to examine, evaluate, and react to. Sample consumers will provide feedback via surveys, focus group studies, or interviews, which communicate how important the idea is to them.
Marketing concepts elucidate the business potential of ideas and elicit the value of an idea to the consumer.
How to Present Ideas that can be Translated into Important Marketing Concepts for Testing
Powerful concepts are developed from powerful material. Clear marketing concepts will obtain the most reliable feedback from consumers. Ambiguous concepts will obtain unclear and unreliable feedback. Indisputable research results are achieved when consumers understand the benefits of and the reasons to believe in your idea. If you can provide the writer with clear, comprehensive answers to the following questions, the resulting important marketing concepts will unmistakably communicate your idea to potential consumers.
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What is or are the benefit(s) to the customer?
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What information do you know about the customer attitudes, values, goals, frustrations, and unmet requirements or needs?
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Why should the consumer believe that they will benefit from your idea? What gives it credibility?
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What information can you provide about your organization mission and/or vision?
ยท Write Results Now partners with our clients to generate this vital information in order to transform ideas into clear marketing concepts. We employ a standardized, proven process, which results in the best written concepts possible. That is how our clients obtain reliable feedback from target consumers. Interested in figuring out what consumers think of your idea? Contact us to receive a 10% discount on your first project.
Writing the Talk: Three Tips for Becoming the Voice of A Client
by Felice Stahl on 04/20/11
"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we
perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." Anthony Robbins' message was likely intended for people communicating for themselves directly. Many writers are charged with communicating for others and, in so doing, are challenged by perception. Perception can be tricky. Its how we perceive the message delivered to us that we have to deliver to others. It's how we perceive the way our audience will perceive the message that we are, in turn, delivering to them after we perceived it our way. It's the way we perceive things based on our experiences and who we are. Since perception tends to be very individual, communicating another's message that reflects how they perceive the content requires an altruistic approach. Consider these three tips for becoming the voice of a client.
Use an Inquisitive Approach; It's Not in the Ears of the Beholder
When writers are paid to write text that is officially credited to another person, our level of involvement and creative license varies. We are first interested questioners and analytical researchers needing to pull not only information, but a certain sentiment from our client. The message we hear must be as close as possible to what they intend to deliver so that we can then broadcast their message as accurately and honestly as possible. That old issue of perception compels us to use an inquisitive approach to understand the message because the essence of that message is not "in the ears of the beholder". Rather, the Beholder expresses the message with carefully selected words and in a style that bestows a level of the highest regard to the client and what they intend to communicate.
Listen, Listen More, and Then Listen Even More
The advantages of listening cannot be emphasized enough. Chip Bell, esteemed expert and author who writes and speaks about productive relationships said, "Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom. Listening is the key for writers. Listening facilitates the writer's ability to accurately communicate the client's message.
Keep Growing - Writing is an Iterative Process
Many writers, on that never ending quest for the perfect finished product, if time permits, will review, edit, add, and make changes repeatedly to any given project. Usually time does not permit writers the luxury of multiple reviews and we are required to produce a near-perfect creation in a flash. Writing is an iterative process. While we strive to convey the client's message within their perceptual boundaries, we grow closer to becoming a satisfying voice for them. When has a difference in perception caused you a problem?
