Whether you are simply applying for a job or starting a new company, basic marketing principles still apply. If you haven’t already, go to earlier articles on this blog to complete your vision/mission statement and life plan.

Now that you know who you are and what you offer, use the following basic questions to help you focus your marketing efforts:

Who: who is your target market? Even if you are a job seeker, it is a good idea to make a portrait of your client. Say you are looking for a job as a IT tech; it would be a good idea to use keywords in your resume that pertain to those interests. You will be writing your resume to appeal to your ideal employer (target market), use his language, make sure you write your resume to fit his expectations. A good deal of marketing depends upon an accurate portrait of the target client. You have to match your ad to the expectations of the potential client, otherwise you will have lost him before you can even get your message heard.

What: what product or service are you offering? This involves knowing yourself. Only offer what you want to do, not what you are experienced at, otherwise you will find yourself in an unhappy position. You can use your ad writing experience — or those of a professional — to phrase what you do in the most favorable light. If you know what your target wants you can figure out how to offer it to them.

Where: where are you offering it? In a retail store, on the web, on ebay, on Amazon, etc.

Why: why are people going to buy from you? Why you and not someone else? What distinguishes you? What is your brand? This is where the mission statement and your slogan or sound bite comes in handy (see next article).

How: how is your product/service different? How are you going to deliver that product/service? By email, mail, going onsite, etc.

– copyright 2008 Aliyah Marr