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What does your shopping style say about your marketing style?

A recent article by a marketing professional got me thinking. Her point was that too many people buy gifts based on what they like, not what the recipient likes.

I think most people market that way as well. They don’t carefully consider what matters to the recipient. They just talk about the stuff that matters to them. And they assume that the audience will care about the same information.

But we know that most people are asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” So why do most companies create marketing messages that do nothing but talk about themselves?

That’s like me buying my daughter a men’s sweater because the color will go great with my eyes! Why would that excite her when she peeks into the beautifully wrapped box? It wouldn’t.

But if I am genuinely curious about her, if I get to know her likes and dislikes, if I engage her in conversation and ask her opinions, then I can get her a gift that’s right for her.

Back to marketing. Same rules apply. Take a look at your marketing materials. Count how many times you talk about your company versus talking about the people you’re trying to communicate with. If someone who had never heard of you before visited your Web site or read your brochure, would they sense that you understand who they are? When we actually care enough to know our audience and customers, we can talk to them about what matters. To them. To their lives. That’s respectful marketing.That’s effective marketing. That’s the kind of marketing that too few do.

Do you?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2009 Drew McLellan