Newbies in the Midlife business often feel stuck. More often than not, they find themselves in a position where they face difficulties in making timely decisions. They either do not know effective marketing strategies. Or, if they do, they fail in their implementation.

Both of these challenges become hindrances to the success of these midlife freelancers and entrepreneurs. To cope with these challenges, we reached out to two marketing gurus: Firstly, the outspoken Gary Vaynerchuk (AKA Gary Vee.) Secondly, the godfather of marketing, Seth Godin.

Inc Magazine / “Empathy is the running blood in the vein of marketing,” says Gary Vee.

Gary Vee is the founder and Chief Executive Officer at Gary Media. The 45 years old progressive entrepreneur is widely popular for his business-building ideas as he has turned his father’s liquor store into an acclaimed eCommerce store. As he is a die-hard fan of the New York Jets, he is expected to develop his NFT team.

The latter – Godin – is also a popular entrepreneur and marketer who has authored 62 bestselling books. Here are 5 midlife business tips these two marketing gurus came up with:

• Sell Value, Not Product

“People do not purchase products or services. They, rather purchase value,” asserts Gary Vee. For Gary Vee, a marketing strategy or a business module is hollow without value. “Produce products and offer services that add value to the buyer,” he argues. He goes on to say, “Back in the 80s, I would knock on every single door and offer them the products that my father used to produce. As I expected, it didn’t work out. But it taught me a lesson: If your product does not add value to the customers, it won’t be sold. Even if you offer them at the comfort of their homes.”

Dominika / Pexels / Selling yourself short is the biggest failure of any marketing campaign.

So, the first marketing tip, before you kick off your midlife is: Sell value, not product. Furthermore, appeal to the emotions of the customers. Consequently, it will do wonders for your business.

• Befit the Wants and Needs of your Audiences

“Audiences should be the core concern of every entrepreneur and marketer,” suggests Godin. Gary Vee, who rarely agrees with anyone agrees with this. Both of the marketing gurus unanimously agree that unless your audiences are not the central points of your marketing strategies, all of your efforts will go in vain.

The irony is that there are many marketers out there who get over-excited about their offers. They forget the needs of others. Unless your offer has no demand, it is useless – no matter how sublime your offer may be. So, figure out the wants and needs of your audience before making any go-to-market strategy.

LinkedIn / “Do not get excited about what you have to offer. Get excited about the needs and wants of your audiences.” Seth Godin.

• A Brand is a Dedication and Promise; Not a Logo

Both Gary Vee and Godin emphasize that dedication and promise are at the core of every brand. “I have seen many enthusiastic entrepreneurs who get excited about designing the best logo. What they skip is the core objective and promise that they are going to offer.” He goes on to say, “Despite the fact that dedication and promise are the fundamental parts of every brand, most people skip it. Shockingly, they go after the meaningless part: Logo.”

For both of these marketing gurus, a logo possesses no meaning. What does possess meaning is the core objective, promise, and value that you will be offering to your audience.