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DuctTapeMarketing.com
May 04, 2004
In this issue:
Featured Resource - Bull Market-
Seth Godin's latest ebook
Featured Tip - Finding Your Ideal Target
Market -
John Jantsch
Featured Book - 4 by Godin - Seth Godin
Featured Listening - Between Here and
Gone -
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Contact your prospects 8-10 times a year and be there when they are
ready to buy.
I launched another website a couple weeks ago to help describe my one-on-one
small service business marketing consulting, writing, and workshops. You
may in fact even find it mildly interesting. It is located at
JohnJantsch.com
Don't
forget to visit the
Duct Tape Weblog.
You can view content not available in this newsletter and even share your
own thoughts for others to view.
Thanks
for subscribing - John
Featured Resource - Duct Tape
Marketing Weblog is featured in latest ebook by Seth Godin - Download a
f~r~e~e copy.
 Bull
Market by Seth Godin
Seth Godin, the king of viral marketing, just released a massive
collection of resources for growing your business. The book is also
sponsored by Fast Company Magazine. One of the resources he selected was
the Duct Tape
Marketing Weblog that I publish. He has graciously given me
permission to give away copies of Bull Market on this site. Happy
reading
Bull
Market 2004-Companies That Can Help You Make Things Happen ::
download your free copy today and go out there and make things happen.
You will need a copy of Adobe Reader to view this file. Right click the
link, save target as your desktop. Open, read and enjoy.
Featured Tip
Finding Your Ideal Target
Market
By John Jantsch
Most businesses don't even have a well
defined target market. Or, if they do, it goes something like...anyone
that we think will pay us. In order to grow your business and get out of
competing on price, you must narrow your target market and do everything
you can to make your business as attractive as possible to that market.
So how do you find your ideal target client?
Of course the best way is to take a good hard look at your past clients.
Look for types of clients that you would love to do more with? But even
if you're just getting started, or trying to move into new markets, you
can define a narrow target market.
When it comes to targeting a market many people simply look for someone
who needs (or who they think needs) what they do and then they try to
offer it to them.
This may be the greatest single recipe for small business disaster. May
I be blunt here?
When looking for your ideal client there are three questions you must
first answer.
1) Do they "want" what I have? It does not matter if they
desperately need what you have. If they do not want it for one reason or
another, then you are sunk. You will kill yourself trying to convince
someone that they should buy from you.
2) Do they value what you do? You must look for people who are
already investing in the type, or at least the category, of service you
have. Price shoppers will always be prices shoppers, do it yourself
types will always be do it yourself types. Look for those who appreciate
the extra they get from you.
3) Are they willing to pay a premium for what you do? This one is
often overlooked and misunderstood. No matter what you sell you don't
need to compete on price. When you compete on price you find that there
is always someone willing to go out of business faster than you. Raise
your prices, explain what you do to add value, and look specifically for
those select individuals and businesses that expect to pay a premium.
Now of course this opens up another can of worms. Once you find your
ideal client, you must be able to communicate how your firm is uniquely
qualified to solve their problems.
You see; marketing your business never really ends. But maybe "Finding
Your Core Message" would be a good topic for next week?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
John Jantsch is a marketing consultant based in Kansas City, Mo. He
writes frequently on real world small business marketing tactics and is
the creator of “Duct Tape Marketing” a turn-key small business marketing
system. Check out his blog at
http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com/weblog.php
Featured Books
I love all of Seth Godin's books...so take your pick.
Featured Listening and Such
Between
Here and Gone- Mary Chapin Carpenter - Just released last week,
this is her first album of new material in over 3 years and she has
taken the mood of America over that time (along with her own marriage)
and bottled up an introspective look at some pretty human emotions. She
is my favorite poet and songwriter and this album does not let down.
Still time for Mother's Day! |
