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Welcome to The Healthcare Marketing Connection! This week we are discussing "The Long Tail"; the changing way consumers are buying and how that affects your business. Why the future of business is selling less of more.

I just finished interviewing Valarie Johnson, a custom publishing magazine editor, on ways to approach an editor to get your articles published as well as how to get paid writing assignments (for you writers among us). I was really excited when I got off the phone with Valarie because she had SO much great information to share! We rushed to get you access to her interview right away. I am working on a workbook to go with it and it's not done yet, but I don't want to wait to share this great information with you. Download your copy here: www.thecopywritinginstitute.com/interview-Valarie.html

I also have a free gift for you, my friends and subscribers. We have a one-of-a-kind 31 page special advisory on "3 Steps to 6 Figures as a Copywriter Fast!!" You can also register to get your complimentary copy here: www.thecopywritinginstitute.com/6figuresascopywriter.html.

To your success!

Kelly

How Has The Long Tail Affected Your Business?

I just finished reading a book, The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. It discusses how people's purchasing options and purchasing decisions are changing with the advent of more advanced mass media, such as cable television and the Internet.

These technologies have changed what's available to consumers, thus allowing us to have much more to choose from. From the television shows we watch, to the books we read, we are no longer "stuck" with 5 channels or the top 10,000 books that executives think we should enjoy. There are hundreds of channels with very specific interests and millions of books available.

As a business owner, how does this affect you? Your ability to niche, even micro-niche yourself and your products is important now more than ever. Where consumers were at one point happy to have a chiropractic adjustment, they now want to work with someone that specializes in the health of runners (their passion) and the specific injuries they may incur.

Why?

Because they can.

According to The Long Tail, today's consumer now has more options, and because of that they are attracted to the product or service that's exactly how they want it. If you love fashion, you may love to watch fashion shows on TV. Are there millions of people watching these shows? Probably not. But the folks that are watching are very passionate about fashion, will be extremely loyal to their shows, and they tend to spend more money. Why do you need billions of people watching if your core is who spends the money?

The long tail itself is the tail end of a bell curve. The bell curve being the main television channels and the best-selling books. The long tail is all the books that never make it onto the best seller list, but still sell. Maybe 100 copies. Maybe only four copies. The farther out the line (or the tail) goes, the fewer products sell. There is a need for those micro-niched products and technology is making them available.

Today's consumer is looking for and expecting products and services to meet their specific and unique tastes and interests.

How can you use this information to strengthen your business?

(c) 2007, A Marketing Connection

Want to use this article in your e-zine or web site? No problem! Just let me know at info@KellyRobbinsLLC.com. I'll send you a short bio to include at the end of the article.

This week Kelly recommends The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. Read more about how people's purchasing options and purchasing decisions are changing with the advent of more advanced mass media, such as cable television and the Internet.

If you have any other great resources you'd like me to share with everyone, let me know and I'll check it out. kelly@KellyRobbinsLLC.com

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Annual SHSMD conference in Washington DC - October 3rd - Kelly will be presenting a 3 hour workshop, entitled It's Lonely Out Here...How to Connect with Customers When You're on a Limited Budget.

To learn more about healthcare copywriting and marketing, visit my Web site at www.KellyRobbinsLLC.com/article_archives.shtml. There are tons of fr ee articles on a variety of helpful topics.