Cool Marketing Tips…That Make for HOT Marketing Results - We try to do so much in our marketing plans that sometimes we might overlook some simple musts. A lot of what we try to do comes down to content -- and how we use it. Whether it's through blogging, video, e-newsletters or SEO (search engine optimization), it's not uncommon to get so bogged down in the presentation that you forget who you are targeting and if what you’re saying is even relevant to their needs. The key is to ask yourself a number of questions before determining that the marketing plan you have will work: • The marketing has to cause an action: How do you want the end-user to feel and what do you want from them as far as a response? • The marketing must be valuable and relevant: What do your customers really need to know? How will your marketing benefit them personally or professionally? How can you present the material for maximum impact? What are the mandatory elements of the campaign? If the information you have does not mean anything to who you are trying to reach then don’t include it! • The point you are making has to be essential to your strategy: Is what you are doing going to achieve your goals, and does it work with your other initiatives? (And if it’s a long story or explanation for no good reason, nix it!) • Your marketing must target a defined group of people: Who are you selling to and who desperately needs your products or services? Think about each question before you go forward with your marketing plan or even with a single marketing piece. You may find that you need to reconsider your course of action.