In my mind, effective marketing / sticky marketing really only has three stages. There is no beginning and no end, just the ongoing cyclical process of moving through these three stages. I’ve referred to this marketing style as Group Hug Marketing and it is all about better communication and better relationships. Sales are just a side effect, albeit a very important one for small business survival. So…
Three stages of effective marketing…
1) Invite people in – let them know you’re there and what you’ve got that fulfills a need. This is sometimes called “advertising”.
2) Make them comfortable – build trust and help them in any way you can. This is sometimes called “customer service”.
3) Send them on their way happy and with more than they expected. This is the win-win for everyone.
Then repeat this sticky marketing…
1) Invite them back in – let them know that you’re still there thinking of them and tell them what’s new.
2) Keep them comfortable – remind them why they like and trust you.
3) Send them on their way happy (again) and more apt to spread the word about you or your product. This is sometimes called word-of-mouth marketing or, free advertising. This is the foundation of all long-term effective marketing efforts
Repeat again… and again…
This is how strong relationships are built and businesses grow and prosper.
More sticky marketing tips:
Marketing can be annoying or fun – Fun is more effective marketing
The secret to success in business
Jeff Nicholson is the founder and Creative Director at 
