In the September 2012 issue of HOW Magazine, editor Sarah Whitman says:

“Back in the day (say, 2010), marketing gurus were telling their disciples that, most of all, they needed to have a well-designed website and e-newsletter so potential clients would be able to easily find them. Fast-forward two years and the self-promotional landscape has been transformed. Sure you still need to have a kick-ass website and e-newsletter, but merely having an online presence isn’t enough. You have to know how to use it to find qualified prospects.”

She goes on to say that your marketing package now includes a myriad of social media platforms, each with different looks, rules, and strategies. But just being present isn’t enough; you have to deliver timely and valuable content. When everybody is clogging inboxes with news and promotions, be the one that people click on and read by consistently delivering quality content.

Furthermore, your target niche should be smaller than ever. Says Whitman, “All the old marketing tenets still apply. But unless you pair them with a solid web and social media strategy, you’ll be casting your line into an ocean rather than a pond of qualified prospects.”

This reminds me of the 13th Immutable Law of Marketing: the law of sacrifice. You have to focus on one thing, be the leader, and let go of the rest. Be a specialist, not a generalist, to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace.