Here’s a quick tip, which can help you MASSIVELY increase the effectiveness of your marketing!
It’s all about focus
Whenever you write any form of marketing material, it’s extremely important that your message is focussed 100% on your core prospective client base.
Many small businesses use a scatter-gun approach to their marketing messages and as a result, they write copy, which is vaguely relevant to everyone who reads it but directly relevant to no one!
By diluting your marketing message, you always reduce it’s effectiveness.
For example, let’s imagine that Bob provides a ‘Virtual Assistant’ service. He is particularly keen to work with web designers, software developers and SEO experts. Bob will get a far, far better response from his marketing if he writes a tailored marketing letter/email for each individual group – rather than a vague, generic one, which is aimed at trying to be relevant to all three industry types.
Bottom line
Vague marketing messages will not motivate people to respond to you! However, a marketing message that clearly shows how your service will solve the readers problem, is extremely attractive and will inspire far more people to respond to you!
There are 10 GREAT marketing tips for you here!
Excellent point.
I’d go so far as to say that this kind of thinking should be employed at he planning stages of a business.
‘Average products for average people’* don’t work like they used to – it’s just difficult to get ‘everyones’ attention.
People pay attention to businesses and marketing messages that are designed for them. A sharp focus can help define a marketing message, reduce wasted marketing expense and improve results.
Short, sweet, great post.
*Paraphrased Seth Godin quote I think
Great post, Jim… Similarly, the message itself should be focused as well. I always encourage clients to stick to one point in each ad. Got 5 things you want to promote? Then do 5 spots that each focus on one of them. Provide a laundry list of talk points in 30 seconds, and the audience doesn’t remember any of ‘em.
Two great points already!
You know you have a great blog, when the people who comment are smarter than you are!
great point and great reminder for me today as i begin to prepare marketing material for next year.
A great point Jim.
I guess another point is that if you’re not clear about who your market is, you will not know where to find them. This is a common mistake that I see my clients make. In an attempt to contact everybody you’re actually targeting nobody. And as the old marketing adage goes: “when everybody is your customer, nobody is your customer”. It’s what I call ‘spraying and preying’ and results in increased marketing costs with fewer results!
Jim, as always, another great point! One that is overlooked often in the line of work. Thanks for putting it into perspective for all of us!
Victoria,
You make an excellent point. Clarity is vital to marketing.
Kyle,
Thanks!
Marketing is so interesting because it is two completely different animals, one being that you must get yourself focused on existing client bases, but the other being that you must spread your wings and send messages that will attract new clientele. Good marketing is hand in hand with great customer service and keeping your clients feeling like they are number one will keep them coming back for more so the importance of signaling out your messages goes well beyond just making sure you’re reaching many people.
Excellent post and interesting thoughts, as always, Jim.
It sounds so simple but, many small business owners forget the little things. In general small businesses are niche in style; so, why would they present general marketing. I agree, they need to within their niche when marketing and tailor it to specific markets.
Scott,
People often spend a lot of time and money doing the WRONG things REALLY WELL.
Thanks for the comment.
Jim,
I’ve been in the marketing and communications games of three decades and without focus I might have lasted three days. I hope everyone clicks on your 10 tips. Good stuff!
Damn, I hate it when I think faster than I type. It’s supposed to read most of three decades.
Hi Jim,
I think that this is something so obvious and somehow we tend to overlook it when we go in the digital world.
I mean, we always talk different to different people in our real life. We know how to talk to our mother, to our father, to a doctor, to a bank employee. We realize that they are different and so we talk accordingly.
I’m just wondering why we seem to overlook this when we activate in the digital world. Why we don’t realize that people are different when we market by sending e-mails for example. I think it’s because we are used to interact in the real world and to judge what we see – these are things that we aren’t able to do on the Internet. And this is what, I think, makes the difference between a great marketer and a simple one.
Thanks
[...] afternoon, I came across Jim Connolly’s post about the common approaches that a typical small business owner takes with his or her marketing [...]
It’s a really good example because in tough times people cut down on experience brands / buying. In your case they are not just cutting down on experience brands / buying but investing that money in something that could help them get out of the sticky situation they are in, economically.