Got a call last week from someone I hadn't heard from in 2 years.
This fellow needed some help, he said, writing some web copy.
As soon as I heard the voice, the flashing lights started going off, red flags were popping up everywhere and I knew that whatever happened from that minute on was probably going
to end up with a BIG bowl of frustration.
So what’d I do?
Stayed on the line and ended up flushing about 4 hours right down the drain over three days!
My mistake?
I knew this person was NOT part of my target market.
He
displayed that two years ago when we tried to work together and he demonstrated, at almost every turn, that he had a limited understanding of how marketing works, didn’t understand how to offer value and seemed solely interested in proving it.
So, why did I take his call this time and proceed to knowingly throw away half a day trying to help him
again?
All I can think of was that I musta been in the Gerry Happy Bubble because I broke my #1 rule of marketing:
KNOW your target market cold and keep all your efforts focused on showing them
how you can help them get what they want.
Many business owners struggle to figure out who their ideal client or customer is. Others know, but don’t leverage the power of that understanding in their messaging.
They end up creating impersonal ‘stop me when you see something you like’ websites and emails instead of crafting laser like sales messages that zero in on exactly what their target prospect is looking for.
I think some are afraid of missing out on opportunities.
What they don't realize is the more they make their messaging "one size fits all", the more they miss out on attracting clients that are a perfect fit.
So, how can you figure out who your target market is?
Simply think about the customers and clients you worked with where you had fun, produced results, earned a profit, enjoyed the experience, developed relationships and looked forward to your next encounter.
In
short, an experience where both sides benefitted.
Here are a few characteristics of my target market:
- Most are between 35 – 50 years old.
- Close to 75% are female.
- Almost all are entrepreneurs or hold senior marketing positions at small or medium sized companies.
- Many have a basic or advanced understanding of
marketing.
- Most are extremely busy and value their time. They know what they are good at and understand that investing in copywriting and marketing help can get them where they need to go FASTER.
- They are committed to growing their businesses.
With this understanding , I am able to match my marketing with what my ideal target prospect is looking for.
Getting your ideal target prospect nailed down helps you create messaging that goes right to the fundamental reason we do what we do – helping people get what they want.
