Clients frequently expect to attract targeted prospects to their service business when they have not done the very real work of getting crystal clear about their target. It is such an odd quirk of humans that in this one aspect of marketing writing, we like to believe we can attract the clients we desire without clearly defining that target. We’d be unlikely to do this illogical behavior anywhere else in our lives. What happens in marketing writing though is that defining our target market does not seem like a clear activity, and we don’t know how to do it. Even when we take classes to learn about targeting a market, it is challenging to put that information into practice. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. We are afraid of “losing business” if we define our target market explicitly. We like to believe that EVERYBODY needs what we sell. We don’t want to take a chance of eliminating any potential business. We define too broadly, and as a result, attract no one. No one identifies with the description we come up with. Since we have no real target, even those prospects who could be our target feel no affinity for our description.
2. For the most part, it does not come naturally to us to carve out a market and let go of those prospects who would not be right for our business. Being in the business of service, it’s easy to believe that we can (and maybe should) help anyone. There’s definitely some altruism involved when we can’t get ourselves to target those potential clients where our expertise can help them the most. Typically, though, we’re doing them no service to go forward with them when it’s wrong-for them and for us. Work with those where you can definitely provide the best results.
3. We simply do not know how to translate our specific expertise into a target market definition that will bring us the business we want. We struggle with getting “into the heads” of the prospects we want to attract. We’re so busy thinking in terms of “me, me, me” – what we do – that we can’t think enough in terms of the needs of our prospects. We don’t get clear on what THEY need to know, or need to hear, or see to make the jump between where they are, and your potential to solve their problems.
4. We make the mistake of starting our marketing writing talking about our business processes. NO ONE cares about how we do things when they are having the first contact with our business. At that beginning point, all they care about is finding a solution to their problem. If you don’t start off letting them know that you understand the problem they want to solve (with your services), they reject you immediately. They keep on searching looking for someone who is saying the “magic words” they want to hear. They want to find themselves represented in what you say at the beginning of your marketing materials.
If you think it is difficult to create a compelling target market, you are correct. This is a common struggle. It is difficult to take the viewpoint of the prospect we want to attract and “see through their eyes”. However, if you want to get the right prospects coming to your business and converting into clients, you must have target market clarity in your marketing writing.
Suzi Elton provides business writing that attracts targeted prospects to your service business and converts them into clients for you. She is a Robert Middleton Certified Action Plan Marketing Coach, as well as a professional writer. Her website offers a free series of 8 assessments you can use to analyze your own site.
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