What’s all the fuss about anyway?
October 13th, 2006 by Cristina Favreau
Are you like many people I speak with who think that targeting a specific client will limit their business and turn potential clients away? If you answered yes, my question to you is this: Is that such a bad thing?
You can’t be all things to all people — nor do you want to be. If you think you do, go back to the time you had the worse client ever. Your personalities clashed, he “negotiated” your rates each month, and he never gave you any referrals. You were simply “not made for each other.”
spe·cial·ize: to concentrate one’s efforts on a particular activity, product, field, or practice; to pursue a special activity, occupation, or field of study
Notice the words “concentrate” and “pursue“? That doesn’t mean you ignore everyone else and you’ll never sign anyone as a client who doesn’t fit in your cookie-cutter niche. Not at all! What it does mean is that you’ll be marketing smarter.
When writing your next newsletter article, who will you talk to? If you have the mindset that “everyone’s my client” you’ll not only not know what to write, but when you do, you’ll be too general and interest no one. If you try to speak to everyone, you’ll talk to no one.
Consider these 2 ads:
Affordable swimming lessons for the whole family
and
12-week low-impact prenatal aqua fitness for busy women
Are you attracted to the second one? I am, because I’m their target. The point is, I read the first ad and say “Neat. I’ll check it out sometime.” Whereas for the second ad I say “That’s exactly for me. I better sign up.”
While this fitness center MAY in fact offer affordable swimming lessons for the entire family, they have chosen to ‘concentrate their efforts on a particular’ client — me (and that’s what you want your audience to think about your services as well). What do you think each ad cost? Probably the same. What was the response rate for each ad? I’m sure you know the answer.
It’s true that at the beginning, choosing a target market is not easy, especially if you have lots of options. But as you get more experience and more clients, you’ll refine your message and find that you enjoy servicing one group more than another.
So you see, that’s what all the fuss is about.
Now read over your next marketing campaign and ask yourself: Who am I specifically speaking to? Who do I want to attract? What need am I addressing? How am I proving that I’m an expert in my field? If you’re not sure, ask someone who will give you honest and constructive feedback.
