| So you had a killer brainstorm that is going to be (or | | | | Think about this in terms of solving your customer's |
| already is) a new product. You know that others like | | | | pain and make a list: |
| you will be so relieved once they see how you have | | | | What is killing them right now? |
| solved that pesky problem. You developed the | | | | What makes them cringe? |
| prototype. You sourced a manufacturer. You | | | | What makes them mad? |
| borrowed money to build a website (and it wasn't | | | | What frustrates them? |
| easily come by) You got your dba and opened a | | | | What do they complain about to their friends? |
| merchant account. You even have a lawyer. Best yet, | | | | How can they save time and money? |
| you are the first to market - no one has done this | | | | What would make them smile with happiness if only |
| before. Wooo hooo! | | | | they knew about it? |
| You're proud of yourself and you're feeling like a new | | | | Those attributes become your "unique selling |
| future lies in front of you. Cheers! | | | | proposition" and the basis of all your marketing to your |
| Suddenly, your email box is inundated by marketers | | | | customers. Your job as an entrepreneur is to provide |
| selling you super expensive infomercials for "just | | | | a solution for someone else's problem. Attempt to get |
| $60,000." The call from the remnant advertising guy | | | | your list into less than 5 words that you can use on |
| offering you space in a national magazine for only | | | | packaging, press releases and as an "elevator speech" |
| $15,000 was tempting. Have you started to wonder | | | | when someone asks you about your product. So now |
| where the heck am I going to come up with this kind | | | | that you know who your customer is, where do they |
| money? Do you know how cost effective one choice | | | | hang out? What do they read/watch/listen to? To |
| would be over the other? | | | | what associations might they be connected? |
| Can you say what kind of marketing would be the | | | | Where do they spend their time and money? |
| best use your money? Panic sets in when you realize | | | | What do they read? |
| that you really didn't think about marketing; did you? | | | | You can get creative here and don't need to know a |
| You may been dreaming of how difference your | | | | particular industry to answer this question. Make some |
| product is and how it will make you an industry hero, | | | | educated guesses. For example, I would bet that |
| but now the reality of getting your to your customer | | | | fashion designers probably read Vogue and WWD |
| can be overwhelming. I've always said that the | | | | religiously. They probably subscribe to the Daily Candy |
| development of any product or service without | | | | online might be alumni of the Fashion Institute of Design |
| knowing who wants it and where you can find them is | | | | and Merchandising. They probably shop a lot and can |
| a terrible waste of money. | | | | be found in malls on the weekends and evenings |
| Hands down, the most important question any | | | | seeing what else is out there. They are passionate |
| entrepreneur can ask themselves are these: How do I | | | | about fashion and can most likely be found in any |
| get my customer to actually buy my product? And | | | | situation having to do with it. |
| talking about my customers, where the heck can I find | | | | If you have trouble figuring out where they are, make |
| them? After 20 years in the PR business launching | | | | a list of where they are not. |
| new products, I have seen this trajectory of thought | | | | Using our fashion designer example, I'd say that fashion |
| many times. I have met with so many excited | | | | designers are probably not skiing in the winter and |
| entrepreneurs, all of whom have truly great ideas that | | | | riding bikes in the summer. They probably spend many |
| solve real problems. | | | | hours in the mall and make it a pastime, as opposed to |
| The truly rare bird entrepreneur -- the one with the | | | | a chore. They are probably not at football games or |
| highest potential for success -- is not the one with the | | | | gardening on the weekend. They most likely don't eat |
| coolest mousetrap, but the one who has figured out | | | | at McDonald's and don't watch The History Channel. |
| how to actually get their product to the people who | | | | Does that make sense? |
| need it. | | | | So, why is this important? Because these are the |
| Are you a rare bird --- or not so sure? | | | | associations where you might make presentations, the |
| Don't panic. | | | | magazines in which you request report about your |
| You're not alone. | | | | product and the organizations whose websites you |
| Many entrepreneurs get to the point of having a | | | | sponsor. For example the Fashion Institute of Design |
| product ready for sale and then slip into a debilitating | | | | & Merchandising probably has speakers come in |
| case of overwhelm. You may be saying to yourself, "I | | | | to talk with their students. They probably have a |
| know my industry. I know why this important. My | | | | magazine that goes to their alumni. They might even |
| product rocks! But, I don't know the first thing about | | | | have an intern program. Voila; instant access. |
| marketing. " | | | | Now the last question really helps to drill down to more |
| This is so common. | | | | about who you customer really is. The value of |
| Author of "The E Myth," Michael Gerber, portends that | | | | knowing the commonalities your customers share will |
| 85% of American businesses are developed by | | | | help you determine where you spend your time and |
| "craftsmen;" mechanics who start automotive repair | | | | money, and in what order. Knowing the commonalities |
| companies, or chefs who start restaurants. He says | | | | your customers share will create the shape of your |
| that these craftspeople spend 100% of their time doing | | | | marketing program. You will find out who your real |
| the part of the business they know, but ignore splitting | | | | targets are and if you have other customers who are |
| their time doing business development and building | | | | possible buyers, but aren't worth spending your highest |
| operational systems. | | | | amount of dollars and time one. |
| So are you spending 100% of your time making your | | | | Going back to the fashion designer example, ask |
| product really bitchin, packaging cool or your retail | | | | yourself of the things that you guessed about them, |
| space irresistibly beautiful? When you start thinking | | | | which are the most common things they share? Of |
| about getting the word out to people who will actually | | | | the examples we discussed I'd say that the most |
| buy your product or come to your store, do you go | | | | common thing they'd share is a subscription to Vogue. |
| blank? Is panic setting into your belly at the very words | | | | Second, I'd say it's probable they graduated from a |
| you just read? Are you flushing thinking about how | | | | fashion trade school like the Fashion Institute of |
| much money you've just spent and realized that you | | | | Merchandising or the Fashion Institute of Technology. |
| do spend 100% of your time just on your product? | | | | So, now that you have all these questions answered, |
| Does your mind spin thinking about the time you've | | | | make a list of those customers and split them up into |
| committed to this dream? | | | | groups of most probable to buy your product. |
| Well, now that I have you in a dither. Calm down. Take | | | | Order them into a priority of three categories. |
| a breath. Just get to the bottom of this, and I promise | | | | 1. The first are the most probable customers; |
| you'll walk away with a renewed sense of joy. The | | | | 2. the second are somewhat likely; |
| overwhelm will subside; I promise. The good news is | | | | 3. and the third are a decent possibility. |
| that the answers to the questions above are actually | | | | Then match up the commonalities to your target |
| quite simple and won't require tons more investment of | | | | customers. |
| time or money, but simply going through this simple | | | | Now make a list of the professional associations |
| exercise: | | | | where your customers might be members. Get their |
| The following is a 5 step exercise that will erase the | | | | websites. Call them and see if they have any in-house |
| overwhelm you may be feeling, put you in the driver's | | | | newsletters. Ask if they sell their mailing lists. See if |
| seat with a specific roadmap toward the Emerald City | | | | they do special events where you can come speak to |
| of success. This exercise will set out the course of | | | | their members. List the magazines that your |
| your future. Truly, without going through this exercise, | | | | customers subscribe to and read. Go buy them. Flip |
| there is no way you will succeed - it's that important. | | | | through the magazines and find the sections where |
| First of all, grab a pen and piece of paper. Do it now. | | | | they might report about your product. Write down the |
| Read through each of these questions below first. | | | | names of the journalists who wrote those articles. |
| Then, go back to the first, read it again and start | | | | Make a list of your customers "pains." |
| writing down the answers as they come to you. Do | | | | Next to the "pains," list the attributes about your |
| not edit your thoughts. Let the ideas come into your | | | | product that quells your customer's pain. |
| cranium, flow through your shoulder, flood down your | | | | Now here's how this all ties together: |
| arm and right onto the piece of paper ----without any | | | | Write a sentence about your product that includes the |
| judgment or changes. | | | | customer's pain and how your product solves it. Play |
| This is important. | | | | around with it. Write it over and over again. Use |
| Let the ideas out onto paper first, then you can look at | | | | different words to say the same thing. Take out all |
| them later, change your mind, if you wish, but the key | | | | extraneous words. Most of all, make it rich and very |
| is to just get them out of your brain first and edit later; | | | | simple. |
| here they are: | | | | Federal Express' USP was: "When it positively has to |
| 1. Who is my customer? | | | | get there overnight." |
| 2. Why is my product so perfect for them? | | | | Domino's Pizza said, "hot pizza on your doorstep in 30 |
| 3. Where does my customer hang out? | | | | minutes or less." |
| 4. What publications, TV shows, radio programs do | | | | This becomes your "unique selling proposition" and the |
| they read/see/listen to? What places on the internet | | | | phrase you lead with when you call the professional |
| does my customer congregate? | | | | associations and press outlets you listed above. |
| 5. What commonalities do my customers share with | | | | There are THOUSANDS of other marketing things |
| one another? | | | | you can do to get your product to your customers, but |
| So, now let's go through what to do with the answers. | | | | if you just start here, I promise that you will never feel |
| Knowing a profile about your customer, even if you | | | | overwhelmed again. When you know who your |
| are making educated guesses, is PIVOTAL to giving | | | | customer is, you will never have a question about how |
| them what they want and need. Chances are you are | | | | to appeal to them. You now know what your |
| you developed this product because you needed it. | | | | customers love, hate and where they hang out; they |
| Come on make some guesses about them: | | | | will never again elude you again. |
| How old are they? | | | | As time goes on, you'll refine your customer attributes, |
| What business are they in? | | | | the lists of where to find them and continue branching |
| What are their interests? | | | | out your marketing programs, but for now, give |
| What kinds of communities do they live in? | | | | yourself a pat on the back and put one foot in front of |
| What do they do for fun? | | | | the other. You have lists - a roadmap - just start in the |
| Who are their friends? | | | | beginning and journey down the road. Success lies |
| What professional associations are they members of? | | | | with educated effort, not necessarily born talent. One |
| Getting clear on why your product is perfect for your | | | | of my favorite quotes from Winston Churchill says: |
| customer must be established; especially before you | | | | "Education will not. Privilege will not. Experience may |
| spend one more dime. People buy products because | | | | not. Tenacity wil |
| they solve a problem for them. Whether it be a bra | | | | So, how do you feel now? |
| that eliminates visible bra lines on a gal who is no | | | | Has the belly ache subsided? |
| longer 18 and svelte, or a clip-on cup holder for cars | | | | Are you excited about Monday? |
| like my Porsche that somehow were built without that | | | | Good. |
| fabulous little amenity, you need to know. And you | | | | Go get 'em Tiger! |
| need to know now. | | | | |