I know you've heard this a thousand times, but from the looks of
things few businesses are following the advice?? Far too many
businesses (online or offline) define their target market as
??anyone with a pulse and a wallet.?? (Not always in that
order.) You read their sales copy and it's the same old, walking
on eggshells ??corporate speak??, devoid of personality, writing
to a group style, as everyone else in their industry. Sure.
They're not going to eliminate any ??potential buyers???? But
there're not going to stand out from the crowd and get their
message noticed either! You need to define your target customer
as specifically as possible. You should describe your customer
in exacting detail. Not as a group, but as an individual. Get a
laser focused, clear and precise image in your mind of one
specific person. Know that persons sex, age, marital status,
wants, needs, educational background, psychographics,
demographics, geographics, technographics (level of
technological sophistication), understand their psychological
motivations, hopes, fears?? Everything! And then (and only then)
write your copy directly to that person. Craft your message to
your target customer in a one-on-one, person to person style,
keeping this focused image of who you are talking to clear in
your mind. So?? You've clearly defined your target customer.
Great. Now you're ahead of 95% of the business in your market.
Do you want to know how to jump ahead of the other 5%? (This
next tip is something that very few top marketers talk about??
But it just may be one of the most important activities you ever
do for your business.) Clearly define who your customer IS NOT!
Spell it out?? Write it down?? Let the world know, exactly who
you REFUSE to do business with. Eliminate the freebie seekers,
bargain hunters, complainers, whiners, price shoppers, deadbeats
and time leaches (Michel Fortin calls them ??Vampires???? I love
that??) The first step in face to face selling is to qualify the
prospect. So I've never understood why so many businesses are
afraid to do the same thing when selling in print or on the
computer screen. Cowards! Guess what? An amazing thing happens
when you ??take something away??. By stating (unapologetically)
in your copy that ??This offer IS NOT for everybody????,
????only a select, elite few will qualify????, ????unless you
meet the following qualifications, you can't beg us to let you
buy this????, something magical takes place in the sales
process. The dynamic changes, from YOU trying to convince the
PROSPECT that they need your product?? to the PROSPECT trying to
convince YOU that they are qualified to buy what you are
offering. So, stop worrying about eliminating part of your
potential market by only focusing on your ??ideal customer??,
the ones you eliminate wouldn't have bought from you anyway. And
by adding a bit of ??posture?? to your copy, your conversion
rates with your REAL market will skyrocket. Just remember this??
If you try to be ??everything to everybody??, you will end up
being ??nothing to nobody??.
About the author:
Eric Graham is the CEO of several successful online companies.
Internationally recognized as a top authority on eCommerce,
Website Conversion & Internet Marketing, he's an in-demand
speaker & consultant. Get expert tips, advice, news and
commentary on improving conversion rates, split testing, web
usability, copywriting, internet marketing and more. Just visit
Eric's popular Blog:
http://www.conversiondoctor.com/conversion-blog/
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