The other night I had the privilege of going to a Dave Mathews concert. I consider it a privilege because of the quality of the Dave Mathews Band and the marketing experience. If you have not seen the DMB band I would suggest giving them a try, the band has remarkable musical talent.

On to the marketing involved and how has home based business owners we can learn from others about a marketing experience. Once I had learned the basics of marketing, and continue to learn, I look at these experiences to draw from them as to how I can further my knowledge and implement ideas into my home based marketing business.

So often we are taught in our home based marketing business to test our warm market, do 3 way calling, take a prospect to a meeting etc. that we really don't learn marketing. I am not sure what we are actually learning other than frustration but its not marketing.

Lets look at some of the strategies used at the concert in an effort to gain more perspective for our home based business. So we look at the audience, roughly a 25-45 year old crowd, even split male and female, and as most popular bands a cult type following. So what would be some of the "right" products for this demographic.

Clothing and apparel correct. Who buys more clothing or is at least more willing to shop at a concert, females of course. So the kiosk's for the clothing and apparel are set up right next to the line for the ladies' restroom. Talk about a captive audience.

So who buys the snacks and drinks while the girls are buying the clothing, the men. Conveniently not missing any of the show because we now have vendors facing the field/stage so the guys don't miss any of the action.

The best of all in the marketing experience is the men's restroom. I can't speak for the ladies' but above each urinal in the men's room now are advertisements. Some of the ads even directly relating to the dreaded "stage fright" that men tend to experience while in the restroom. If you don't understand that don't worry, just know that it happens and the advertisers know it. So again we have the right product in front of the right audience and quite captive I must say again.

I think your getting the general idea here folks, marketing is about getting information in front of people who have a need, want or desire for what you have. Then having them seek you out to fulfill that need want or desire.

Selling is trying not only to deliver a product or service but also creating the need , want or desire in people to want the product or service. A monumental difference here and you must get this or your business will without doubt fail.

People in general hate to be sold to and at the same time, people love to buy. We love to buy the right product or service to fulfill our needs as quickly and easily as possible. So how do we start marketing and not selling our product and service. These are the initial key elements that must be considered to making this shift in our marketing techniques.

One, you must love and consume your own product. NOT because it gives you money back, or that your are a good example because you truly love your service or product. Primarily because you will become the expert of your product or service and to do that you will have to spend a lot of time talking about it and even writing about it and even doubting it. So you must love and believe in your product or service. If you don't, move on to a different one until you find that one that you love.

Second and just as important, you must love the phone. We as home based business owners usually don't have an extreme amount of capital to grow our business , so until we do the phone is the least expensive and most underused tool in our tool belt.

Third and the last thing we need to consider in making this mindset change towards marketing. Find people who are truly marketers and be incredible open to the ideas they are teaching. Not to say you have to do everything someone says, but be open and always looking for better ways to market your business.

Remember marketing is the art of fulfilling a need, want or desire not creating the need, want or desire.

Thanks for spending a little time with me today make it great day and keep your dreams alive.