Last Updated on January 25, 2017 by Dave Schoenbeck
Most of my entrepreneur clients, at some point in our coaching relationship, want me to help them more clearly refine their marketing plan. In an earlier blog article I emphasized the need for a specific and excessively detailed description of the target market. Clearly, this is the most important component of a marketing plan that really works. I am always amazed at how long it takes for that “blinding flash of the obvious” moment when my client sees the importance of the targeting exercise.
Right behind targeting, is the incredible opportunity to auger into the mind of the prospect and how they make a buying decision. The absolute best way to think about this is to do a brain-dump and write down a long list of the fears and frustrations that your prospects have when contemplating purchasing your product or service.
Ask yourself, what do your prospects worry about, or have been previously disappointed by you and your competitors?
This is really hard for business owners to jump into the psyche of their prospects and to be on the other side of the transaction. Why? Well, it’s because we are distracted and blinded by our preconceived thoughts of what works and what doesn’t.
So, what does an entrepreneur do? Write down and refine your list. Interview your employees to validate and expand your list. Ask a few of your trusted clients for their input. Seek out the thoughts of your neighbors, spouse, friends, and colleagues, and expand your list. Prioritize that list of fears and frustrations from high to low.
What typically happens is that the list that the owner writes down differs from what you get from your friends and folks that aren’t emotionally involved in your business. Don’t dismiss what outsiders tell you because they are an objective perception from the marketplace and they are potentially your future clients.
Once you get a wider perspective of how your prospect views your business pitch, you can tailor your message to address the concerns.
Here is the key thought…write this down…your marketing messaging should then overtly emphasize the solution to their fears and frustrations. This could be your slogan, your pitch, and your unique selling proposition.
When you can obliterate the conscious concerns of your prospect, your message becomes more effective and clarifies the reasons that they use to choose you.
Brilliant and easy to do, provided that you have the courage to ask rather than assume.
Coach Dave
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