What Your Marketing Is Really All About

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When you nestle up to your keyboard and start to write your next marketing piece, before you tap out, “We’re a …,” stop. You’re about to commit a cardinal marketing sin. That sentence you were about to write would be better starting with, “You,” or “Your.” Why? Glad you asked. Marketing isn’t about you and your business. It’s about your audience, their needs, wants and challenges.

It all boils down to very simple reality. People want to know what’s in it for them. How can you and your service or product help them? Plus, in as much as they want to know what’s in it for them, they’re usually seeking a solution that resonates on an emotional level. Sure, you may be able to solve the problem-at-hand, but that’s something of a surface fix. What your client is really seeking is to look good to their boss. We can even whittle that benefit down a bit more. Looking good to their boss probably means they’ll be more valuable and keep their job. Maybe they’ll even get a raise. All that comes down to security.

When you pen your marketing prose, think client benefits. What can you bring to the table that will authentically help your client? By “client,” I mean the person on the other side of the table, not the company employing them. If you can help that person do a better job, save or make more money, be more efficient and effective, etc., the company will benefit automatically.

But, before you can work your wonders, you’ll need to get pretty chummy with your audience members … your niche. You need to gain a clear understanding of what’s important to them, what makes them tick and what the common problems and challenges are within their business and industry. Audience research to paramount to creating effective marketing messages. When you know your audience, inside out and backwards, you can anticipate needs and adapt your services to meet them.

For more on target audience research and analysis, swing over to The Netsetter. The second installment of my marketing planning series is hot off the presses … er, server. In it, I take a step-by-step approach to using various tools and methods for gaining a clear understanding of your niche.

Don’t be shy. Join in the comment conversation. I’d like to hear about how you conduct audience research and how it’s helped in your marketing efforts and your ability to better serve your clients.