On Target: Mastering the Four Pillars of Business Success including: 1.Message is all about what you say to your target market. It's about communicating your unique value and why your offer solves a specific problem. Hopefully the problem you solve is an urgent one, like a toothache or a leaking roof. If you're a dentist or a roofer and the people you serve aren't in any kind of pain, then you're not going to be very busy. 2.Market is the group of people who are your ideal prospects. You may want to think of everyone as a potential buyer, but few companies have the mass market of a company like Coca Cola. (On the other hand, even ordinary soft drinks don't appeal to people who have a sugar problem.) The legendary copywriter Gary Bencivenga made the observation that problems are markets. Take that to heart. There is a lot of talk about segmentation, demographics, psycho-graphics, and statistics, but this type of profiling has its limitations. When you think about it, everyone who has a specific problem can be considered part of the target market for that solution. Young or old, rich or poor, when you have a broken arm, you are in need of a doctor. (As we said before, there are a lot of business books that describe all kinds of ways of understanding and categorizing your markets. Some are useful, but much is overkill for those with limited time on their hands and limited budgets. "What problem do you solve" is something that needs to be asked by all of us, and answering it effectively will prevent many a disaster. 3.Merchandise means your product or service and the offers you put together. You can have a physical product, such as a watch or car, or something less tangible like expertise or advice. Even if you offer consulting, training, or coaching services, you would do well to learn merchandising techniques used by retailers. They have the resources to test many variables to see what works and what doesn't. Even though tastes may change, you need to determine how to package and price what you offer so that it appeals to others. 4.Media refers to the way you get your message into your target market. How are you reaching out to others? What media outlets are you using? There are hundreds of ways to communicate with your audience, some of them free, others paid. Advertising, which is a paid form of communication, is often an effective method of attracting the attention of your target market. A lot of companies try to build their business without investing in advertising, and a lot of advertising is certainly wasted or ineffective, but "pay to play" can vault your business to the top in short order. There is a reason why companies pay millions for a Super Bowl ad. Social media, which started out as mostly free, has evolved to the point that you can buy advertising on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Practical and Proven Steps to Go from Where You Are to Where You Want to Go
About the Author: Rick McCulloch is an Author, Speaker, Business Development coach and the C.E.O. of Entrepreneur Solution. He is a master synthesizer who applies the best in business and scientific thinking to client problems. His specialty is helping find their Breakthrough USP in order to skyrocket sales. In addition, he accelerates growth and engineers success by helping others successfully market to the emotional part of the brain where buying decisions are made. He has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Manitoba, a certificate in internet technology from the Southern Institute of Technology, where he has also been an instructor in the sciences, and a certificate from the Dale Carnegie Institute. He is a member of the Canadian Imperial Business Network, and a past member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Rick is a self-taught entrepreneur having studied marketing and business masters such Brian Tracy, Jeffery Gitomer, David Allen, Jay Abrahams, Meir Ezra, JT Foxx, Charlie Cook, David Neagle, Perry Marshall and Dan Kennedy. David Shiang is the President of Open Sesame Marketing & Communications, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in helping clients make quantum leaps in their businesses and personal lives. David is a graduate of MIT and has a Master of Management from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. He was also a Danforth Fellow in the English PhD program at UC Berkeley. He has broad experience in marketing, strategy, coaching, consulting, research, and education. He in 1989, designing programs for companies such as GE, Chase, and DuPont. He was VP of Software Consulting with a division of IDG, a $3 billion global technology media, research, and event company. He has worked with companies such as Microsoft, IBM, and HP. He is also author of God Does Not Play Dice: the Fulfillment of Einstein's Quest for Law and Order in Nature and The Regret Cure: How to Eliminate Toxic Emotions and Never Regret Again. He co-hosted Skyrocket Your Success 2013, a 3-day entrepreneurial marketing summit, and has presented at The Billionaire Event with George Ross, The Nido Qubein Experience, and other key leadership gatherings.