Most marketing materials suffer from too much focus. Now, I’m a big fan of focus when it comes to message, but it’s the delivery of that message that needs to be flexible.

Here’s what I mean. Within the very same, narrowly defined, ideal target market there exists many different personalities and just as many different learning styles. (marketing it not selling, it’s educating.)

The problem this presents is that you can’t simply create the tri-fold brochure, with stunning, persuasive copy and hope to appeal to someone who is a “just the facts ma’am” kind of person.

Your marketing materials must come in many different flavors and offer something for every buying style. That’s why I promote something I call a marketing kit as it asks you to develop a suite of materials aimed at conveying your message in a variety of formats. (If this makes sense check out Magnificent Marketing Materials)

One of my coaches recently pointed out a great way to articulate this and I’d like to share it.

You’ve probably seen or taken the DISC profile. DISC is the four quadrant behavioral model based on the work of William Moulton Marston Ph.D. to examine the behavior of individuals in their environment or within a specific situation. DISC looks at behavioral styles and behavioral preferences.

DISC is an acronym for:
• Dominance – relating to control, power and assertiveness
• Influence – relating to social situations and communication
• Steadiness (submission in Marston’s time)- relating to patience, persistence, and thoughtfulness
• Conscientiousness (or caution, compliance in Marston’s time) – relating to structure and organization

My take on this when it comes to marketing materials is that different behavioral styles need different marketing messages and forms of communication and content.

In our marketing kit world a
• D – needs the facts, the quick rationalization of benefit that a case statement might make, case studies too
• I – loves a good story, relates to more classic marketing messages of difference, loves images
• S – likes volume of content, frequency and consistency of content and message, full feature dumps, white papers
• C – responds to FAQs, testimonials, case studies – proof, checklists

Also consider that nobody is strictly a high D or high I, we’re all made up of mixtures.

Create lots of marketing content, package it in different formats (including audio and video) and offer it up for all to consume, knowing that how it’s consumed will differ depending on the behavioral style of the prospect.