Get the Right Match

Over the past few weeks we’ve been talking about niche marketing, and how a narrow focused, laser targeting marketing effort gives you a huge advantage over your competition. To see where we started, visit the first post here at my blog. So see the last post, visit this one.

Today we’ll wrap up our discussion on the topic with the last of the marketing advantages niche marketing gives you, plus a great example, one of the best I’ve seen. Again, Thanks to Dan Kennedy for allowing me to share some of his thoughts on this topic. To get two free issues of Dan’s newsletter, plus a ton of other freebies, visit this link.

The movement of a product or service from generic to niche link to one of the most fundamental but also one of the most powerful strategies we talk about often: Message to market match. We’ve talked about this in the past, so I’ll only briefly cover it here. For more, visit this post. The basis is Dan Kennedy’s famous triangle connecting message with market with media:
The broader, looser and sloppier the match of message to market, the less it resonates, the harder it is to command attention and create interest. The narrow, tighter, more precise and comprehensive the match, the easier it is to secure attention and interest.

Alright, so how about a real world example? Here’s a link to a PDF you’ll want to check out. (I apologize in advance for the quality. It’s a scan of a copy, but it’s really good) This is an ad from a National Rifle Association publication. In reality, it’s an ad for a relatively common, widely available type of nutritional supplement intended to improve eyesight. You can find this and other supplements just like it in many vitamin retail stores, online and in catalogs.

BUT, in this case, a unique ‘wrapper’ was put around the product to make it specifically for the hunters who use rifles and a scope. Doing so makes this ad and the use of the publication possible. Merely running a generic ad for a generic product that does exactly the same thing would be a failure. When you study the ad you should also note how few words are about the product vs. how many are about the customer.

Target Your Best Clients

I hope you’re enjoying our ongoing discussion on message to market match and the marketing triangle. So far we talk about the markets you choose and the message (what you say). You can review those links at my postings below.

Today we’ll move on to Media which means the devices you use to get new clients to your business and how you get past clients to buy again. Remember, we’re using Dan Kennedy’s Marketing Triangle as a basis for our conversation.

By media, I’m talking about any means of delivering your message to your target audience (your market). These can include (but certainly not limited to):

• Direct mail
• Yellow pages
• Newspapers
• TV
• Radio
• Websites
• Blogs
• Videos
• Seminars
• Tele-seminars
• Webinars
• Car racks
• Signage
• Billboards
• Banners
• ValPak style mailers

The list goes on and on.

I know some of you probably have some pre-conceived notions about some of the media listed and think of some of them as bad or good media. To be honest, there is no such thing as a bad or good media, just as there is not good or bad tool in your toolbox in the garage. There are tools that are more appropriate than others, say if you want to pound in a nail, or screw in a screw. One does better than the other for certain jobs.

The same is true with your media. Here’s an example. If you’re targeting people over the age of 70 for vacation rentals in Florida during the winter, relying solely internet websites, online videos and e-mailis foolish. You’ll need to use other media to reach those people such as direct mail or magazine/newspaper ads.

However, if you’re targeting college aged spring breakers to come to Lake Havasu, then the web may be a perfect place and you’ll probably want to rule out the yellow pages, Val-Pak etc.

You want to limit yourself to those media that are paid the most attention to, and the ones that are preferred and given creditability by your target audience. And, most importantly, one you can affordable reach.

To know if they are affordable, that means you must track your lifetime customer value (LTCV) and short term customer value (STCV) as some media can and should be ruled out and make others more attractive.

Who's Your Who

Last week we started our discussion on “Message to Market Match” and I introduced you to Dan Kennedy’s famous marketing triangle. We briefly touch on the Media portion (see image below). There will be more to come on Media in the coming days. To review where we’ve been see my blog post here.

Today we’ll move on to the markets, or the ‘who’ in your business that you choose. Remember, we’re using Dan’s Marketing Triangle as a basis for our conversation.
The “Markets” side of the triangle refers to who you select and choose as your clientele, with a big emphasis on SELECT and CHOOSE. Believe it or not, you, through your marketing, advertising and other messages, select your own clients. To say it simply, if you have bad clients you have no one to blame but yourself.

There’s never been a worse time for an, “Anybody is my client” mentality. I can’t tell you how many times I’m consulting with clients and I ask the simply question, “Who is your client?” and they either say, “I don’t know…”or, “Everybody in Milwaukee.” (Assuming they’re in
Milwaukee.)

Quite frankly, it’s too costly to attract ‘everybody’ with one broad brushstroke. It’s a huge mistake to have too big a targeted market with too few resources. Leave that to big, dumb corporations.

So I’ll leave you today with a brief, concise definition of how you should target your ideal market:

A good market is identifiable, affordably reached group with shared interests, needs, fears, desires which you believe are well matched to your knowledge, product service and expertise.

Later this week we’ll tackle the ‘Message’ side of the marketing triangle. I’ll see you then!

Message to Market Match

Alright, so after a brief break we’re back this week with an all new series of tips, just for you, my loyal reader. If you recall we ended last week talking about mailing lists and how to get them. See my blog posts below and start from the top down if you’d like to review. Today we have a brief entry on message to market match.

Message to Market Match means you’re matching what you’re selling, the media you’re selling it through, and the words you write to very precise and targeted prospects.

The best way I’ve seen or heard this described is by my mentors Dan Kennedy. I’m not even going to try and top it,so just see the images below. For more on Dan and his outstanding No B.S. Marketing Newsletter (to which I am a subscriber for 7 years, Keith for nearly 20!) visit this link.
When I say media, I’m talking about the format, and appropriateness for the task you’re trying to accomplish. For example, a retailer sending a ‘stand-alone’ postcard who’s holding an event in the mall is probably OK. If you’re sending a ‘stand-alone’ postcard to business owners expecting them to invest in new accounting and order taking software which is a $10,000 investment, for their business…BAD!!

I’m not saying the postcard doesn’t have a place in your marketing to the business owners. It may very well have its time and place. But to expect a postcard to do the heavy lifting is not smart.

Second, you want to start with people you already understand, and for the vast majority of you that will be the niche you serve. For example, I write to other business owners and salespeople who obviously are interested in growing their business with direct mail and doing it creatively (or why else would you be getting this!). I know and can speak our language, can identify with you, and thus can make a stronger connection with my copy. The same should go for you, when writing to your own niche. The good news is you can get a very good response with just OK copy if you make sure you’re sending it to a highly targeted list.

To Your Direct Mail Success,
Travis Lee

www.3DMailResults.com