What does my trip this weekend to the Jim Henson exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago have to do with building a network marketing internet business? Can Ernie and Bert really teach us something about marketing?
“Do you think you could learn something about marketing that could help you in your network marketing internet business from a show that has…”
- Been a staple in households for over 40 years and is still going strong
- Has won more Emmy Awards than any other show in the history of television
- Airs in over 120 countries and has the broadest reach of any children’s series ever produced
I can probably get weeks of content out of our fun family trip this weekend to see Kermit, but I’m going to start with the basics…just like sesame street does for our kids.
“Your network marketing internet business lesson today is brought to you by the letter T and the number 2!”
You can be successful in any network marketing internet business if you know two things. Can you guess what they are?
I’ll give you some clues: All of the following skills are worthless when it comes to building a network marketing internet business if you don’t know the 2 main things.
- Knowing how to generate leads or build a targeted lead’s list.
- Knowing how to blog, write, or do video marketing.
- Knowing how to effectively use social media.
- Having an expert understanding of SEO
- Having a ton of clever marketing tips up your sleeve.
- Having a great personal brand.
- Having a great leader or up-line.
- Having a great company or great products.
I know I’m guilty of it myself at times. As network marketers building a business online we can easily get hung up on the “how to’s” of marketing instead when we should be focusing on the “who” and “what” of marketing.
The two things you need to know to be successful in any network marketing internet business are:
- Who is your target market?
- Sesame Street’s target market is young children and parents of young children. They don’t deviate from this. They don’t try to appeal to everyone, they pick their target and focus their marketing message around it.
- What problems do they have?
- Sesame Street solves the problem of entertaining and educating kids. They solve these problems for parents and they solve them well. They are the leader in their industry because they’ve earned that role by providing value that solves problems their target market faces.
Everything you do when you’re building a network marketing internet business must revolve around solving a problem, and in order to do that, you need to know who has a problem and what that problem is.
So here’s your homework for today’s Sesame Street network marketing internet business lesson:
Take 2 minutes and share in the comments who your target market is and what problems they face. And then I want you to share this post with others on twitter or facebook, who are also building a network marketing internet business!
Thanks for reading! I’m excited to have you here and I hope you enjoyed the content. Please let me know what you think in the comments below (this is a dofollow blog!) and connect with me in social media. It’s time to unleash the Clever Marketer in you!
Hey Heather,
Awesome post! It’s so obvious – a show which has been as successful as Sesame Street for so long has a lot to teach us about good marketing, and you’ve picked a brilliant topic to highlight that.
My target market: People involved or interested in creating wealth online from home
Their problems: How to do that. Not having the correct training, support and tools to allow them to generate wealth online successfully.
Thanks for that brilliant call to action! I hadn’t boiled my answers down so succinctly before, that’s very helpful! Can’t wait to see what other comments you get here!!
All the best,
Jym
Jym recently posted..The 7 Simple Steps Of Online MLM Business
Hi Jym!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the post and thank you so much for sharing your target market and their problems.
I think it helps to have an assignment like this to encourage us to focus. I’m thrilled that the call to action helped you to clarify your target market and their problems. You are such a leader!
I value you and your teachings, Jym!
Heather
Hello Heather,
This is a very interesting post. It’s fascinating how we can learn and gain insights about online business in many ways even from sesame streets which is a great idea. I totally agree with you about these 2 things, knowing your target market and the problems they have because in order for us to attract and get their attention, we need to provide the solution that they are seeking.
Keep it Up,
Ana
Ana/ Traffic Generation Cafe recently posted..Need For Site Speed- Practical Guide For The Average Blogger
Hey Heather,
There’s an unbelievably profound message in this post Heather. It’s so simple and powerful that most people (myself included) will miss it. All aspects of one’s marketing need to come back to these 2 things.
The message is find a group of people who are hungry for something and give it to them. It’s very simple and will work all the time.
Great post,
Wayne
Hi Wayne,
Unbelievably profound? You flatter me, my friend!
Thanks for the awesome comment and the compliment!
I appreciate you and I hope your weekend is wonderful!
Heather
Heather, I think you’re very clever the way you’ve used Sesame Street to make your point, holding my attention to the very end!
Yes, what you say is very true, but then you mostly cannot execute the two most important things without having the rest in place too.
I guess it will always come down to – satisfying a need! If you can identify or determine a need & then provide a solution you must be hitting a home run.
Stay inspired!
Michael
Michael B Wilbraham recently posted..Are You Driving Your Network Marketing Business With The Right Attitude
Hi Michael,
Wow…thanks for the compliment on the post.
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
A simple formula to keep in mind with your market is Who, Want, Problem, Solution. Who are you serving, what do they want, what’s the problem keeping them from having it, and what is the solution? That helps me!
Have a great weekend…thanks for your comment!
Heather
Hi Heather,
I have always loved Sesame Street but then I am a sucker for a good story!
Now when it comes to good story telling the best one’s I believe all follow a simple plot with variations on a theme. – A protagonist has a problem which is solved through trial and error.
Come to think of it, this is the story of our ideal target market person too and our goal is to be the solution making for a happy ending all round.
Thanks I enjoyed reading your post Heather!
~Marcus
Hi Marcus!
We’re all suckers for a good story! I just spent an hour in 7th grade English (parent day at school) and ironically we were creating a story line! It was fun and I thought about your comment as we created the conflict and solution.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hope you have an awesome weekend!
Heather
Hi Heather,
I love the Sesame Street and Ernie and Bert are really a lovely couple…
The message you convey is just as powerful, the questions lead to the core, great.
Our target market are frustrated metwork marketers who know that they can make it. The warriors. The problem they have is that they don’t know why they haven’t been successful yet and that they think it’s all their fault. Through our help, they get the answers to their questions and become successful and start owning their lives.
I agree with Jym that answering these questions is very helpful, thanks for sharing.
Take care
Oliver
Oliver Tausend recently posted..Lessons From “Think And Grow Rich” – Chapter 2 “Desire”
Hi Oliver!
Great job! Thanks so much for sharing your target market and problem.
I think it’s so beneficial for everyone reading to help us all clarify our own target markets by getting to see others great examples like you’ve shared.
I’m so glad it helped you too!
Have a great weekend,
Heather
Hi Heather,
Great analogy!
These are my favorite posts when you are able to take a subject like children’s entertainment and tie it into network marketing.
You did it brilliantly!
My target market is people working a home based business with limited or no Internet marketing experience.
This also attracts people looking to start an Internet business with no experience.
Have a great day!
Tommy D.
Hi Tommy,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. It was fun to write, for sure! Thanks for sharing your target market and problem. I think that by sharing these in the comments, not only will we remind ourselves and refocus on our niche, it will help others who aren’t so clear on their target market burn away a little of the fog around the concept.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Heather
Hey Heather,
It’s a great idea to take a hard look at companies, and programs, that have been around for so many years. What are they doing, because they are obviously doing something right. As marketers ourselves, we can certainly learn a thing or two about it.
I enjoyed the tie in with Sesame Street. I haven’t watched the show in about 15 years, but I know my boys used to enjoy it.
Thank you for the tips, and link backs to other valuable posts.
Susanna
Susanna Hess recently posted..Be A Part Of The Movement – Interactive Video Marketing
Hi Susanna,
You know, for a lot of people I think it’s hard to feel stuck, when they’re so immersed in their own niche for marketing training. I’ve learned a lot from studying all sorts of businesses because a lot of techniques can be adapted to other business models as long as we stay focused on our target market and the problems we can help them solve.
Thanks for commenting!
Heather
Hey Heather,
I remember watching Sesame Street as a child and the memories are all good, and you are so correct, it is about marketing to people that have a interest in your solution to their problem.
One of the things that I really remember about Sesame Street is that there was always a story, and a lesson to be learned. People love stories and if you are able to incorporate a story into your marketing you will definitely attract more people.
Thank you for the awesome walk down memory lane!
Hi Robert!
You’re right about there always being a story and a lesson to be learned on Sesame Street. A basic storyline can certainly apply to keep your blog posts interesting and really appeal to that target market, helping them solve their problem!
Thanks for the awesome comment!
Heather
Hi Heather,
Nice way of tying your point in with Sesame Street. Really brings it home. But then again, I do love stories
Not going after a specific (target) market is just wasting time. There’s no one fits all or as Marcus put it the other day … not everyone likes red skittles
Great post!
Ilka
Ilka Flood recently posted..Is Creating a Blog Site for Your MLM Business a Good Idea
Hi Ilka,
Great to hear your thoughts! I’ll have to check out Marcus’ post…I might have missed that one, but it sounds great. I’m going to have to check out your blog post too! I think a blog site for my MLM Business has been one of the BEST ideas, but I’m interested in hearing what you have to say about it.
Have an awesome weekend!
Great post Heather…and it just goes to show that it’s not necessary to “reinvent the wheel” in this business. There are many proven and trusted examples we can follow (like Sesame Street) in order to learn to provide value in a simple and direct way. Cheers!
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