Unlearn All Your Bad Marketing Habits With These 3 Secrets

Scott Stratten is an expert in social media and authentic marketing, which he calls unmarketing. According to him, “it’s all about positioning yourself as a trusted expert in front of your target market, so when they have the need, they choose you.”

One of the key principles he preaches, alongside authenticity, is building relationships slowly.

Where most social media marketers are focused on how to grow your follower and “like” count, Stratten is all about real engagement.

In his book, Unmarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging., Stratten shows us how to banish bad marketing habits and learn how to attract and engage the right customers, or as we say in inbound marketing, your buyer persona.

Instead of throwing your message out into the ether and hoping it sticks, you can deliver a message that you know your prospects care about.

By developing this kind of caring, thoughtful relationship with your prospects, as Stratten suggests, your brand builds trust, authority, and, in turn, becomes the logical choice to solve their problems.

Here are three of the key lessons Stratten shares to help you unlearn your bad marketing habits and start engaging:

1. Relationships Rule Marketing

“It’s not just knowledge people buy from you, it’s the application of the knowledge for their specific situation.” - Scott Stratten

Thanks largely to Google, it’s never been easier to access information from around the globe and since there is no shortage of information out there, it’s not as valuable as it once was.

In a world where everyone is on this equal playing field, execution is what sets successful people and brands apart from the mediocre.

Stratten strongly emphasizes the point that following best practices isn’t enough. It’s the bare minimum.

To create real value, you have to be an expert in your field and you have to find a way to use that knowledge to address specific wants, needs, fears, dreams, etc. of your buyer personas.

The only way to cater to those specific needs is to take the time to get to know the people you are marketing to. The more time you invest in getting to know and helping your prospects, the quicker you establish yourself as an expert.

Once that happens, more people will come to you and eventually you will have gathered enough research to create an ideal solution for them. At that point, marketing is nearly effortless.

To continue on to lessons 2 and 3, click "keep reading" below.