Nothing slows down the process of getting the word out about your business than trying to be “all things to all people”. Unfortunately, many business owners and professionals either don’t understand the importance of it, or have a hard time letting go enough to take advantage of it.
You’ve heard it before: “don’t dilute the message”, be a “purple cow“, be “remarkable”, target your “niche”, “zag” and so on.
And the proof is there: Just look at companies like Apple, and their amazing group of current TV commercials, (who’ve managed to keep innovating and driving the message home about why they’re better) and others who built their reputations by focusing on a niche and doing things differently like Starbucks who’ve made a whole business out of selling expensive cups of coffee; or Hagen Daaz, who were the first and most successful to make gourmet premium ice cream.
How do you make buying decisions? Do you choose “plain vanilla” or does your taste go to mocha almond fudge? If your roof is leaking do you look for a general contractor or a roofer? Would you send your kids to a GP or a pediatrician? Or, if God forbid you needed a heart bypass, would you use a general surgeon? Of course not!
Why should your customers settle for less?
So now that we’ve established why it’s necessary to narrow your focus, let’s look at some ways to do it.
- Get specific about EVERYTHING.
- Appeal to a narrow group of customers.
- Specialize in solving one type of problem and let them know that you “get” what they’re going through.
- Let them know that their problems can be solved, and there is a better way.
- Deliver your product or service in a new or different way.
- Differentiate – REALLY differentiate
- Connect the dots: Let them know HOW you’ll help them.
- Give evidence of the specific results your customers have gotten.
- Hit a nerve.
- Let them know why you’re the best choice to help them solve their problems.
On a related note: On the “Guerilla Marketing For Consultant’s blog”, Mike McLaughlin’s recent post pinpoints the three questions that your message must answer (specifically):
“Do you understand the as-is state that creates the need for outside help? Do you have a vision of the future in which the current problem becomes a distant memory? And, what is that path to a brighter future? If your service offer misses any of these Big Three questions, it’s a dud.” Read more
I hope I’ve helped to convince some of you that being a generalist isn’t the way to go.
If you’ve been guilty of “trying to be all things to all people” and want to narrow your focus, you may want to consider applying for a Business Sanity Strategy Session.
-Susan Martin, NYC marketing coach
