Where To Market Your Anchor Product?

Where should you market?

This is the million-dollar question. Right?

Well, the answers can be found in the keywords you discovered with the Google keyword research tool. Let’s take a look at some online marketing ideas.

Identify your ideal customer markets

As I said, you can use your keyword list to find places to market. The Internet search engines use keywords to deliver information on whatever you are searching for. It doesn’t matter what platform you search on; the process is the same. You type your question using the best words to describe it, and out pops the top results.

So, take your keywords and start looking for groups, clubs, organizations, hobby events, etc, anywhere that could be a good place to market your product. We did all of our research ahead of time in the previous exercises. Your job is to find the best place to introduce your product, which will be different for everyone. But if you pick keywords that have Google search traffic, you can rest assured that there is a market for your product.

When I started, I didn’t have much in the way of expendable income. Most of my promotion was boots on the ground and using Facebook to get the word out about my product. As I gained a little success, I started running Google Search and Facebook ads to garner attention to my products. But honestly, that doesn’t need to be your first step. Do the free stuff first, like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Once you have some interest, then run an ad.

You have several options when it comes to online marketing.

Google Ads is one of them. Now that you have a Google Ads account, you can create an ad using your keywords in the campaign. I will discuss how to set up a campaign a little later.
Google Merchant Center is a platform provided by Google that enables businesses to upload and manage their product data for use in various Google services, most notably Google Shopping. It is a centralized hub where merchants can provide detailed information about their products, making them eligible to appear in Google Shopping results, Google Ads, and other Google services.
YouTube is a great place to upload product videos, and you can then run ads to feature your videos. Google owns YouTube, and you can access the ad feature in YouTube and Google ads.
Facebook is a great place to find “Groups” related to your product. You can join these groups and share your photos of your artwork. I would highly advise you not to try to sell in the groups unless it is permitted. You need to be genuine and take an interest in what others in the group are doing in order to be an effective marketer. Build relationships within the group.
Facebook Ads is another excellent way to increase exposure and drive traffic to your sales platform (aka website). Again, use your customer personas, keywords, demographics, hobbies, and location to target your ideal customer.
Instagram, owned by Facebook, allows you to run ads for your products just like Facebook ads.
Pinterest is a great place to place photos of your products and people using your products. Link the images back to your product on the sales platform.
X (aka) Twitter is another platform where you can post a product and run ads based on your keywords and demographics. You can run ads there, too.

We are revisiting the customer journey to determine where to market and when.

Remember when we learned about the customer journey when you were building your customer persona? Let’s revisit that information and see how we can use that information.

Now that we understand the steps of the customer journey let’s quickly talk about the marketing tactics. This is where the when + how + where = marketing tactics are practiced.

When: We must understand when to market to the customer on their journey.

Awareness
Interest
Desire
Action
Post Action

How: How will you present the product message to the customer?

What are the key benefits?
What are the key differentiators of the product?
What are the reasons to buy now?

Where: Where are you placing the message?

These are also known as the channels.

Blog
Social media
Display or video ads
Email
Organic
Paper

These factors will shape your marketing tactics.

Below is a chart to help you understand how to use the journey to meet your customer at the right time.

Awareness Stage:

Let’s presume you are starting from the beginning and have come up with your new product; now it is time to start marketing it. We will start with the awareness stage of the journey and work our way through to the post-action.

As I have said, we introduce the product to the audience in the awareness stage. Social media is a great way to get the word out, even if you have a few followers. I like to start with awareness by introducing the idea and the process of creating the artwork on social media before the product is even ready for sale.

So, as you are working on your idea for the product, take notes, make sketches, and video yourself drawing or painting. Post these aspects of your process on social media to develop interest and awareness simultaneously on both platforms. People love to watch artwork come into being, and by sharing these aspects, you will increase engagement by your audience.

When your artwork is finished and ready to market the product for sale, you have already created awareness for your brand. When you are prepared to launch the product, viewers of your social media posts will be interested and purchase. Sharing these steps prevents you from starting cold and coming off as trying to push sales on people who need to be made aware of you, your brand, and your artwork.

Bringing people into your process is vital to getting engagement. Always invite them to be part of the creative journey.

Here is an example of how I would introduce my product on social media. I will simultaneously use Instagram, Facebook, and Meta Business to schedule my posts on both platforms.

I will post four times weekly when I first start my awareness campaign. It will look like this. One video and three images a week. Here is a breakdown of the videos and pictures I would use.

Make a simple video of you making your artwork. It could be time-lapse or short clips of different angles and many close-ups. The end shot should be a quick clip of your overall progress during the filming.
Post images of what you are working on. These could be your paints and brushes. Suppose you’re a potter, your clay, your hands working on the wheel, or something inside the kiln. Remember that most people are not creators, or at least not like you. The process is fascinating to others who are outside your field. Share about three photos in between your videos. Try to post at least three to five times a week at the minimum. I’m only a fan of daily posting if it’s quality. Don’t post junk. Stay on message, and the message is the process and how the product will make the customer feel.
Video two, share a thought as you work. These could be thoughts about what you are working on or if you can provide some educational elements. The two best attention-getters are education and humor.
Post close-up images of different angles of your work that make people stop and figure out what they are looking at. I like to do this to get engagement. Ask the viewer a question, such as what do you think this is? Do you like the color? What shape do you like better? It could be anything, allowing them to give their opinion and respond to each comment, even if they are negative. In this step, we are hacking the algorithm into understanding that our content is worth sharing. I won’t get into the algorithm, but I will tell you it is like any engagement.
The message: What can the product do for your target audience? This “blank product” will make your life easier, happier, classier, sophisticated, etc.

Repeat these steps until you are ready to share your new product. When you are ready, add images and at least one video that shows the audience the product and where to purchase it. We are still in the awareness stage at this point. Describe your creation process, the story behind it, and how it makes you feel when you look at it. Be short and to the point. If you have more to say, record another video. Keep your videos under a minute. I have seen at the time of writing this that 34 seconds is working very well for short-form awareness videos.

Interest Stage:

We will now talk about the marketing campaign’s interest stage. At the interest stage, we have already developed our awareness and have an audience that is aware of what you make or do. You have engaged your audience by showing your process and inviting them to be part of your creative process by asking them what they think. It is now time to show them the benefits of owning one of your products.

The biggest pitfall I see at this stage is that they start listing services or technical aspects of their product. Though services or technical elements are essential, that is not usually why people buy things.

It is the benefits that the product can offer that help to convert a customer. Benefits are the things that make the customer feel something. How will this improve their standing with friends, make them look cool or intelligent, improve their lifestyle, and make life easier, happier, classier, or more sophisticated? People buy with emotions and how the product will make their personal narrative more exciting and pleasing.

Here is an example:

I did my research on creating a cat greeting card. Here is the difference between the benefits and the services-functionality of the greeting card. You need to focus on the benefits when selling online and in person.

Product: Cat-themed Greeting Card

Benefits:

- Emotional Connection: The card creates a connection by featuring a cat, appealing to the emotions of cat owners.
- Humor and Entertainment: The funny saying adds a touch of humor, providing entertainment and joy to the recipient.
- Personalization: Greeting cards allow for personal messages, enhancing the emotional value for both sender and receiver.
- Memorability: The unique design and humor make the card memorable, standing out among other generic options.

Services:

- High-Quality Printing: Ensure the card is printed with vibrant colors and sharp images for visual appeal.
- Customization Options: Offer personalized messages or allow customers to choose from a variety of cat designs and sayings.
- Prompt Delivery: Efficient delivery services ensure that the card reaches the recipient on time, especially for special occasions.

Functionality:

- Durable Material: Use high-quality paper to ensure the card is sturdy and durable.
- Writable Surface: Provide a smooth surface inside for easy writing, allowing customers to personalize their messages.
- Envelope Inclusion: Include an envelope for convenient and secure mailing or gifting.

If I were writing advertising copy for a Facebook ad using the benefits, it would look something like this.

Unleash joy with our cat-themed greeting cards! Transform any occasion into a purr-fect moment of laughter and connection for cat owners.
Elevate your gifting game! Our uniquely designed cat cards bring a smile to feline lovers’ faces, combining humor and personal touch for unforgettable moments.
Give the gift of laughter! Our high-quality cat cards not only feature hilarious sayings but also offer the perfect canvas for your heartfelt messages.
Make memories that last! Our cat-themed cards are more than paper – they’re a celebration of the special bond between cat owners and their furry friends.
Stand out with style! Our cat cards aren’t just greetings; they’re vibrant, memorable experiences that turn any occasion into a tail-wagging celebration.

It’s cheesy, I know, but it could work.

Now, let’s look at it if we focus on services and functionality.

Our strong cat-themed greeting cards go beyond the ordinary with thick paper! Write your messages. We turn every card into a personalized experience that can make it through the post office without damage.
Experience the art of shiny print! Our high-quality printing ensures every whisker and witty saying pops, making our cat cards not just a service but a strong printing surface.
Fast, flawless, and feline-inspired! Our tough paper guarantees your heartfelt wishes arrive swiftly, while the durable materials ensure our cards become cherished keepsakes.
Put pen to paper with purpose! Our cards feature a writable surface, turning each message into a heartfelt expression that goes beyond the mere functionality of paper.
Elevate your gifting experience! Our cat-themed cards aren’t just functional; they’re a testament to quality materials, seamless services, and the joy of giving a gift that lasts.

Needs improvement!

Do you see the difference?

The first set of ad copy focuses on benefits and makes you understand how buying this card will better your life and those who receive it. The second set of ad copy focuses on service and functionality, and quite frankly, it isn’t very good. Many people focus on the service and functionality of their product instead of its benefits.

The takeaways from the interest stage are your message and the channels you are using to share your message. Choosing your channel should reflect where you are seeing the most engagement. I have had good results using targeted Facebook and Google search ads to sell products. Facebook allows you to use an image, message, and a link to your product page where people can get more information and purchase the product. Google Search ads are strictly ad copy displayed when someone searches online using keywords to find a product, service, or location.

Always remember your message and use it throughout the customer’s journey.

Here are the bullet points you should adhere to during the interest stage.

Message:

What are the key product benefits?
What makes your product different from other similar products?

Channels:

Social media advertising
Google search ads
Organic social media posts
Re-targeted ads – display and video
Lead generating ad
Blog subscriptions

The Desire Stage:

Desire: The customer is aware of your product, they are interested in the benefits that it offers, and they are starting to consider buying the product, but they need a little nudge toward actually purchasing.

In the desire stage, you should again list the benefits and give them a reason to buy. A reason to buy may be a discount, improved status, sacristy, fear of missing out, wanting to belong, trust and customer loyalty, a product’s perceived value, or another type of emotional promotion.

People’s purchases are driven by emotional triggers far more than the need for something new. Give them an emotional reason to buy from you.

Here are the bullet points you should adhere to during the desire stage.

Message:

What are the key product benefits?
What are the reasons to buy now?

Channels:

What are the key product benefits?
Google Search ads and Facebook ads.
Re-targeted ads – display and video
Organic social media posts
Email leads
Blog posts sharing a reason to buy

The Action Stage:

The action stage is where the decision is made to purchase the product. It should go without saying at this point that you need an e-commerce website that can process sales. If you are reading this and don’t have an e-commerce website, I will provide you with a list of website platforms I recommend.

When a customer has decided to purchase, the process needs to be as seamless as possible. Have a clear call to action and a prominent buy now button. You need to have options for credit cards and other payment options such as PayPal. I personally use Stripe to handle my online sales.

Again, the point is to make it as easy as possible. I recommend going through the payment process and looking at it objectively. Is it easy, or could it be improved? Ask friends to look at your website check-out process and get their feedback.

Things to consider:

Payment: The action stage needs to be a smooth process. The price should be clearly stated, and a payment method must be set up to accept credit cards, cash, or online sales efficiently. Do your best to remove all obstacles that could ruin the deal.
Thank you: Always have a thank you email ready immediately after the sale. If the sale is made in person, have a thank you card ready to add during the purchasing action, or if you have their address, send the thank you card the next day. People received less fun snail mail than they used to before the internet. It will leave a positive impression.
Reinforce the benefits: List the benefits on another card that matches your branding. This list will reinforce the customers’ purchasing decisions and help prevent buyer remorse.

Post action: This action that you take after the purchase. This action can be a friendly note saying that you hope they enjoy the product. It could also be news about your artist’s business or similar products. The post-action is often overlooked in the customer journey; however, this step will help you stand out from other artist businesses. Most customers are surprised that someone would follow up with them, and they will have increased respect for you for doing so. And, hopefully, they will purchase from you again.

At this point, you need to be aware of how the customer is responding to the product. I think of this as the testing stage. I try to put myself in the place of my customer and ask how I could improve any of the steps and, if needed, how I could improve my product.

Are people responding well or badly? This should always be fine-tuning at this point; don’t change too much all at once.

If you can’t tell by now, there is a great deal of work that goes into producing and marketing a product. You will run into the metaphoric brick wall, and the sales will start slowly, or they will take off immediately and then tapper off for some reason. Keep your head and take note of what is happening with the news, sports, or anything else. Sales ebb and flow. Understand that this is normal, and be strategic when making changes to your product and your marketing.