Think of it This Way

This is going to sound a bit strange, which is probably why I’m saying it. It shouldn’t be strange; it should be a matter of fact. When I think about relationships, what often comes to mind is the difficulty that many of us describe in finding the right person and, more importantly, making a connection. Many of my friends have mentioned problems with either 1. Not finding people who really suit them or 2. (This is what I’m talking about) Finding people they like who don’t find them suitable.

The point I wish to make is that if you’re getting it right, then you know yourself. You know what you want. If you find someone you feel is suitable for you (based on your own inclinations, likes/dislikes, goals, etc…), the true measure of your ability to make the connection is your ability to send out the correct information. You can’t send out the correct information if you don’t know the person on the other end. Think of it as good marketing.

You can’t promote a product if you don’t know your target audience. Rather than trying to immediately position yourself as a “market leader,” consider asking questions—lots of them—until you feel you really understand your target audience.

Yes, you know what you’re offering, but it’s more important to know to whom you’re offering it. If you want to sell a particular food item to a child, then it’s not in your best interest to use terms like “immune-boosting antioxidants.” You should consider words like, “crunchy,” “fun,” “yummy,” “swirls” and “awesome.” The information you broadcast must be based on the receiver.

My thinking is that it is self-centeredness which leads any of us to approach another person with tons of information about himself/herself and few questions about the other person. Hel-LO, this is marketing research.

Step one: Decide what you’re trying to accomplish.
Step two: Develop your approach.
Step three: Design your research. How can you most efficiently collect data that will help you make the necessary decisions? How will you analyze the data?
Step four: Do your field work (email, telephone interviews, home visits, etc…)
Step five: Verify the data you’ve collected.
Step six: Arrange the data in a way that’s useful to you.

Next, check out the market. Do some customer analysis, risk analysis and even competitor analysis.

Next, determine your marketing objectives. Maybe you want to increase product awareness by your target audience. Perhaps you want to better inform your target audience about your product and point out some competitive advantages. It’s even possible that you want to eliminate a potential customer’s resistance to your brand.

This brings me to the issue of branding. Whether you focus on it or not, everything about you contributes to a big picture—it’s your brand identity. Think about this before your begin advertising.

Again, if you don’t resist talking at great length about yourself in the very beginning, you’re not doing any marketing. You’re basically just reference material. Ask questions. Don’t say “This is who I am” before you know to whom you’re speaking. This is the thing: There are many characteristics which make up your personality. Think of each one as a color. They must be arranged properly to make a pretty picture. Throw them all out at once and the result is just a muddy mess.

Next week’s topic: How Football is Just like the Opera