One of the biggest marketing mistakes businesses make today is failing to educate their prospects and customers about the unique advantages that are being offered to them. The cornerstone of any marketing plan should be to educate your customers.

You should first educate them about your product or service, and your company. Then you need to educate them about your industry in a way that is useful to them. The more you educate the stronger the business and the human bond will become. This will build rapport and trust. People like to do business with ethical people they can trust.

For example, if youve reviewed 100 different manufacturers of the products you sell, let your customers know. Itll impress them that youve screened out the products that dont have the quality, dependability, or warranty, you know they want. Maybe you offer a guarantee that is longer or covers more potential problems than the one offered by your competitors. Your prospects and customers wont know this unless you tell them.

When you educate your customers, you are building both a business and personal bond with them. Think about yourself: When you buy or consider buying a product or service, you very seldom know as much as you would like to about it. If you have unanswered questions about a product or service, youre less likely to spend the money to buy it.

When a company or salesperson takes the time and initiative to objectively educate you about all the products and services available to you in the particular field youre considering, it gains your trust and confidence. Educate your prospects and customers about everything, including any potential downside or risk of your product or service may have.

Leading your prospects and customers is a big part of the education process. People need to be specifically told how to purchase your product or service. Make it simple and clear in your sales letters, advertising, and your Web site, how to order your product or service. Give your prospects a brief education, then take they by the hand, figuratively speaking, and tell them what specific action to take next.

Whenever you make an offer, whether its by a letter, an e-mail, or an ad, always ask for the sale. When you are offering something at a special discounted price, always tell the reason why you are doing it. Is it because you have lower overhead or volume buying? Are you providing limited services because of the lower price? Why is your price so good? You have to tell your prospects and customers what the reason is.

If your price is high, tell your prospects why. Do you offer a product or service that is far superior to your competition? Is your product of higher quality than that of your competition? Do your products last longer than those offered by your competitors? Tell them the reason why your price is high.

You have to tell your prospects and customers the reasons why! Why should they patronize you, instead of your competition? Tell them why, what you are doing makes doing business with you better for them. Why can your company handle their purchase better than someone else?

Tell them all the reasons why. The more factual, believable, and credible information you can give to your prospects and customers as to the reasons why they should do business with you, the more compelled they will be to patronize your business. Educate them without making them feel stupid, and then direct them to action.

Educating your customers requires that you become an expert in your field. To become an expert in your field or industry, you have to constantly educate yourself. Read everything you can get your hands on that is related to your field or industry. Listen to audio programs and attend seminars that are related to your industry. Keep current on industry trends, developments, and forecasts.

As you receive information that you think would be of benefit to your prospects and customers, pass it along to them. Remember, we are in the information age. People want and need information that will help them. The more information you can give to your customers that you know will help them without any selling on your part, the more they will feel that you genuinely care, and have their best interest at heart. Youll become their trusted advisor and they will want to do business with you, and refer their friends and associates to you as well.

Effectively educating your customers goes far beyond just offering free reports and sending out a weekly newsletter. Educating means getting to know your customers wants and needs on a more personal level. Educating your customers means calling them on the phone, sending them a personal letter or e-mail with some helpful information that is specific to their needs.

Every business has countless opportunities to educate, but very few actually do. Education is a powerful marketing technique. You have an obligation as a business to constantly educate your prospects and customers. Educate them to appreciate the value of your products and services. When you do, youll see your profits soar.

Copyright 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.