Marketing Introduction

Hi I'm Sheila Hayes, a New Business Advisor and I want to set the stage before you listen to the marketing courses. What really is marketing? Well, there are a number of definitions and you may have your own too, but it might seem a little difficult for you to define and that's understandable. Dictionary.com defines marketing as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. The term marketing is broad and encompassing. While you listen to this course, I want you to think of marketing simply as teaching, education, telling your story. Our goal is to create interest in your services and products. Telling your story to people that don't know you or anything about your business. I attended a presentation once where a very wise man, one of the partners at Williams Group, describes marketing as a business science that creates in some people and manages in other people, their perception about the goods and services in your marketplace. Wow! Creates in some people, new patients. Manages in other people, your patients that are following you or eventually returning patients to your practice. I love that. I also love that he uses the words business science, because you are all scientists by nature and this marketing topic can be really challenging. You want it all to add up. You want to know the ROI on all of your marketing endeavors. It drives you crazy and I understand that. So, let's talk about marketing for your new business.