What do you do if your business, product or service is something hardly anyone is aware of or understands? Or worse yet, if it is something they are afraid of or want to avoid?

My answer is three-fold.

First, focus on the SOLUTION you are providing

What is the primary problem your prospects have that you can solve? Do they have pain you can relieve? Do they have an ailment or affliction you can cure? In these cases, you are not selling your "scary" or "misunderstood" product or service, you are selling pain relief or healing.

It is imperative you look at what you are selling from your prospects' perspective and talk about it terms of a solution for them.

Second, understand your competitive advantage

You must understand how what you sell stacks up against the other options your prospects have. Is it superior? Do the effects last longer? Is it safer? Is it cheaper? The list of questions could go on forever.

In the end, you must be able to clearly communicate to your prospects how you can help them in a way no one or nothing else can. This makes your "scary" or "misunderstood" product or service the only logical alternative for them and will help to overcome any obstacles or fear they may have. It simply becomes THE best solution for the problem the have.

Third, undertake an educational marketing effort

Through your web site, a newsletter or ezine, special reports, tele-seminars and presentations, or other free information products and services, you have an excellent opportunity to educate your prospects about your product or service and to dispel any fears or misconceptions they may have.

You may even want to enlist testimonials from satisfied clients. People very often believe what others say about your business more than what you say. If you don't yet have clients to gather testimonials from, treat some friends or colleagues to your product or service and ask them to provide you with testimonials in exchange. It's a great way to get your business off to a great start!

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

20-year marketing veteran Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves without spending a fortune on marketing. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com