The American fascination with serial killers has exploded in the last decade. Streaming services and the networks produce a documentary or TV show about a serial killer each month. But, the fascination with this phenomenon is less about the crime and the psychological make-up of the serial killer.

I’ve been in the sales and marketing industry for almost 30 years. I’ve seen my share of difficult managers, VP’s, and CEOs in that time. But over that time, I realized some of the worst bosses shared traits associated with famous serial killers. Of course, I am not saying the difficult executives I’ve encountered have been psychopaths; I am saying some had similar tendencies. According to Forbes, studies show that roughly 4% – 11% of CEOs display psychopathic behavior regularly.

Based on my fascination with serial killer behavior and decades in sales, here are my self-taught techniques for dealing with psychopathic behavior and the documentaries where I learned them:

Defensiveness

Richard Kuklinski / The Iceman Interviews / HBO & Apple TV – Richard Kuklinski, also known as the Iceman, was convicted of four murders in 1988. Kuklinski, a mafia hitman, was suspected in more than 100 murders. In his first televised interview in 1988, a psychiatrist challenges Kuklinski about his rationale for killing one of his victims:

Kuklinski: “You almost made me mad.”

Psychiatrist: “I know. Can you figure out what that is?”

Kuklinski: “I don’t know.”

Psychiatrist: “Could it be I was challenging you, and it sounded judgemental?”

Kuklinski: “Could be. I don’t know.”

Psychiatrist: “How mad are you?

Kuklinski: “Pretty. I feel a little flushed. I’ve reached a point in my life where I feel annoyed.”

Psychiatrist: “What would you like to do to me?

Kuklinski: “Doesn’t matter. It hasn’t gotten to the point where I would do anything stupid.”

Scrutinizing Kuklinski was a trigger. After that, he couldn’t accept a deeper dive into his logic.

In my experience, some ‘higher-ups” fall into this category. For example, I’ve attended meetings where CEOs have discussed the company’s direction. When the Q&A session started afterward, they became defensive when anyone pointed out negative aspects or asked, “Why?” Often, defensive people see the world through a negative lens. Defensiveness is a coping mechanism. When dealing with defensive people:

• Know their triggers
• Keep calm. Defensive individuals don’t take well to emotions. A heated reaction will most likely make the situation worse.
• Instead of saying, “I don’t understand,” say, “Tell me more, so I understand.” Rephrasing your question removes the burden from the defensive person and creates a dialogue with the load on the person asking the question.
• Give solutions instead of questions. Questions can come across as a challenge. Start your sentence with, “What if we tried,” or “Have you already considered…”
• Stay away from blame and make the conversation constructive.

Narcissism

Ted Bundy / Conversations with a Killer / Netflix – Almost everyone has heard of Ted Bundy. Bundy crisscrossed the U.S. in the 1970s, killing more than 30 women during that period. This former law student was articulate, intelligent, and charming. Famously, Bundy represented himself at his 1981 murder trial. As one of the attorneys who worked with Bundy stated, “He thought he could lie his way out of anything and charm the judge. He was wrong.”

Bundy’s narcissism was part of his undoing. He believed he was more intelligent than everyone else. In the workplace, there will always be coworkers who think they’re more intelligent than you. But, those who take it to the next level are more troubling. People with a high sense of superiority may not necessarily feel superior. It is the opposite. The Superiority Complex stems from people who feel inferior:

• Avoid Criticism – Their feelings of inadequacy may surface and lead to an explosive situation. If you question their logic, be sure to do it in private.
• Create a Win-Win situation – Someone who feels superior will want to view a situation as win-lose. Reframe your conversation to create a mutually beneficial solution.
• Compliment Them – This may sound disingenuous. But, the best way to work with a narcissist may be to tell them how important they are. Be aware that they may also take credit for your efforts.

Pathological Liars

Henry Lee Lucas / Confessions of a Serial Killer – Texas Investigators described Henry Lee Lucas as more of a pathological liar than a serial killer. Lucas first admitted to killing more than 100 people. The number quickly ballooned to 200 and eventually more than 600 during interviews with Texas authorities. Investigators interviewed him for involvement in more than 3,000 murders and missing persons cases. But, of course, he lied about his involvement.

Lucas was convicted of two murders and served a life sentence until he died in 2001. Years later, partially due to the research in the documentary as mentioned above, it was determined Lucas concocted the stories of his involvement in hundreds of killings. He was a psychopath. But he was a better liar.

Most people will deal with some form of dishonesty at work. Pathological liars are different. There is no apparent motive. They see it as more of a challenge and a chance to practice their skills. They have honed their craft at lying, and a pathological liar seldom gets caught. The keyword is seldom:

• Determine Why They are Lying – Someone exaggerating accomplishments differs from someone taking credit for your work. People get facts wrong all the time. So don’t overreact. If you determine a more devious reason, the first step is to limit interaction and information with the person.
• Don’t Get Sucked Into the Drama – If you corner a liar, they will raise the stakes to avoid the consequences. The drama may include yelling, personal attacks, or randomly changing the subject. Whatever the case, it won’t be a good look in the workplace.
• Approach the Person Privately – People who feel comfortable lying suffer from insecurity. Meeting them head-on may exacerbate the problem. Instead, approach them with, “You said X happened, and it was more like Y.” So, instead of the liar being the problem, you make them part of an explanation.

The underlying thread of difficult people is insecurity. Dealing with difficult people in the workplace comes down to three elements:

1. Stay Calm
2. Do Not Confront Them in Front of Coworkers
3. Understand They Feel Inadequate

The post How To Deal with Difficult CEOs and Serial Killers appeared first on Power-Marketing.

You wouldn’t go to a business meeting in gym shorts and a T-shirt or be rude to a prospective client.  

As a home builder, you must present yourself as professional, so if you’re careful about how you present yourself to one or two clients, doesn’t it make sense to be cautious about how you present yourself to thousands of clients online? 

With the ever-increasing centrality of the internet in our lives, you must maintain a professional, easy-to-use website. Finding homebuyers online and keeping them engaged has never been more important. The world of web design moves rapidly, and it’s critical to keep up with the latest trends. 

On the other hand, you have a limited budget. This is important to consider when deciding whether to replace your homebuilder website, hire a homebuilder website developer, make a few updates to your homebuilder web design, or leave it alone.

Here are five factors to consider when deciding to update or replace a website:

• Understand Why You Want To Change Your Website
• Your Website Should Reflect Your Goals
• A Website Needs To Be Mobile Friendly
• Navigating A Website Should Be Easy
• Make Sure Your Website Fits Your Business Model and Near-Term Plans

Understand Why You Want To Change Your Website  

Do you want to change the look of your existing website? Maybe update the content writing for builders? Or, are you interested in significant structural changes (like adding pages, removing navigation items, installing virtual tours and other features, etc.)? 

The answers to these questions matter greatly because they can help point the way forward. It’s often easier and more affordable than business owners think to make minor improvements to a website. Over the long run, however, it’s cheaper to begin with a clean slate if you need significant changes.

Your Website Should Reflect Your Goals

 If your existing homebuilder website accomplishes what you need, you probably don’t need a total redesign. Conversely, if you are embarrassed by the look of your site or it lacks essential features like a shopping cart or a mobile-friendly layout, then you shouldn’t hold onto a design that isn’t working. 

There are both strategic and technical elements to this issue. If your website and homebuilder logo aren’t helping you to attract homebuyers or create a strong brand, it’s probably costing you money. If it runs slowly, produces error messages, or is otherwise difficult to use, those issues must be addressed promptly. 

A Website Needs To Be Mobile Friendly

Being mobile-friendly is now more critical than being desktop-friendly. Over half of internet traffic worldwide is from phones and mobile devices.  Your home builder website should be mobile-optimized. 

According to Quick Sprout, “mobile-friendly content just means that content appears well not just on desktop computers but also on smaller mobile devices. That means the text is easily readable, links and navigation are easily clickable, and it’s easy to consume the content in general.” 

Try this Google tool if you don’t know whether your site is mobile-friendly. There are plenty of excellent examples of mobile-friendly websites if you need inspiration.

Navigating A Website Should Be Easy

Customers have short attention spans. People are used to instant access to information. If a customer can’t figure out how to navigate your site, they may leave. You probably know your website like the back of your hand, but they don’t. 

• Make Sure The Navigation Is Easy and Clear
• Understand Human Behavior And What They Are Searching For
• Install Search Functionality On Your Site

Make Sure Your Existing Website Fits Your Business Model and Near-Term Plans

Although most homebuilders come to us for website redesigns because of aesthetic issues, error messages, and related problems, these should be secondary concerns.  

The best reason to talk to a business web designer is that you want your online presence to match your real-world business and development plans. 

In other words, if your company is growing or changing, your website should also. Never forget that your online builder marketing automation aims to support your business growth targets, not just to keep up with the competition. 

Finding the Cost-Effective Web Design Answers that You Need:

If you’re like most homebuilders we work with, you probably wish you could afford to replace your website every year. However, the realities of timing, budgets, and other constraints mean you must occasionally settle for more minor changes and improvements. 

 Our designers, programmers, and business growth experts can help you find a strategy that maximizes your marketing budget and business opportunities. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and see how we can help you discover the best way forward!

Visit Power Marketing for a digital marketing plan that produces results.

The post Update Website Or Replace It? appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Why Your Home Builder Business Needs A Strong Logo & Brand

Establishing a solid home builder logo and brand is a lot to manage for home building businesses. Getting a website and logo off the ground is almost as tricky as putting up the foundation of a new building. You’ve been refining your home building skills for years — but have you been refining your logo and company brand simultaneously?

Quality work is the number one aspect that will make or break your home builder’s brand and logo design. A slick marketing campaign won’t make up for a subpar logo and brand. But at the same time, great work won’t get noticed if people don’t know about your company.

Here are a few reasons why Home Builders must create a fantastic logo and a memorable online brand for their digital marketing.

1. Build Brand Identity & Digital Marketing
2. Create A Home Builder Logo For People To Take Notice
3. Let Your Logo Be The Face Of Your Home Building Company
4. A Home Builder’s Logo Builds Loyalty
5. A Logo Sets You Apart from Other Home Builders
6. Your Logo and Brand Help People Remember Your Home Builder Business

1. Build Brand Identity & Digital Marketing for Builders

Before any commercials, inbound marketing, or anything else, the first step is to let a qualified homebuilder marketing agency figure out your brand identity. Your logo and brand are the lifeblood of your business. It consists of your values, motivations, and the reasoning behind your decisions.

And the most notable aspect of your brand identity is your custom home builder logo. Your logo is the symbol or design that is used to represent your company. We’re all familiar with the golden arches of McDonald’s and the Nike swoosh. These logos have become synonymous with the companies themselves and are used in marketing, merchandise, and signage.

A quality home builder logo represents your company in several ways.

Outstanding Logos are created to build interest

2. Create A Home Builder Logo For People To Take Notice

A quality logo will make your homebuilder marketing stand out. Imagine walking down the road and past two companies. The sign for the first business has their name written on a black and white sign. The second business has an eye-catching logo representing its industry and business. Both companies might offer similar services, but you will probably visit the one with the great logo.

But why? A logo represents the company’s brand. And a company that takes the time to craft a quality logo is probably more likely to provide quality work.

The fact that a logo catches people’s attention also means that it’s probably their first interaction with your business. As we all know, you only get one opportunity to make an excellent first impression. An attractive and engaging homebuilder logo puts the potential customer in a more welcoming mindset. It sets them up to begin trusting you and builds interest.

Finding ways to convince potential customers to look further into your business is essential. This is where they can see the great work you’ve put out in the past.

People Take Notice of Logos when There is Strong and Consistent Branding

Visit Power Marketing to learn how they can help with your homebuilder logo!

3. Let Your Logo Be the Face Of  Your Home Building Company

We’ve discussed how your company’s brand embodies the internal workings of the business. People want to understand this. They want to know who they’re dealing with and why the business operates as it does. Your home builder logo is the smiling face that greets them as they enter your shop. The only difference is that it provides this capability before they come anywhere near your company.

A well-constructed homebuilder logo by an experienced branding agency puts a welcoming face on your company’s brand and marketing efforts.

Let Your Logo Mirror Your Passion in Home Building

4. A Home Builder’s Logo Builds Loyalty

The most popular and successful logos show how they inspire people to return. Nike, for instance, doesn’t need to do more than put the swoosh on the front of a t-shirt. People will buy them. And when it comes to home building, this kind of loyalty can be infectious.

People are quick to give out recommendations for the home builder industry. The best way to get recommendations is to provide excellent work and remain in your customer’s mind with a well-designed and crafted home builder logo.

Create an introduction and loyalty with your logo and company brand

5. A Logo Sets You Apart from Other Home Builders

Someone outside the industry might be unable to tell one home builder company from the next before they dig into it. This is the same for restaurants, clothing companies, and other industries. How do you differentiate yourself from the group when the potential customer does not know the market?

Your home builder logo will make people take notice and lead them toward understanding what your company is all about.

People take notice of well-created logos

6. Your Logo and Brand Help People Remember Your Home Builder Business

People forget names. They forget phrases. But they remember images. So you want to be sure they remember something representing your company in the best way possible and inspire the customer to reach out when they need your services. So you must ask yourself what you want people to remember about your company.

Make People Remember Your Home Building Business and Website with a Strong Logo and Brand

Contact Power Marketing today!

The post The Importance of a Quality Home Builder Logo appeared first on Power-Marketing.

And what better way to reach your customers than through the Internet? Digital marketing can significantly impact builders in how they portray themselves to potential customers. It can also significantly affect how those customers interact with your brand. Do you have knowledgeable authority in your industry? Are you trustworthy? Do you provide quality work? These are all questions your customers ask when they’re looking to do business with a builder.

Here’s what you need to know about digital marketing for builders.

Identify Your Audience

Realistically, a small percentage of people in the general public need the services of a home builder. You want to tailor your marketing strategy to directly address this small percentage of people. Simply having a popular marketing campaign is useless if it doesn’t generate revenue. This is why you need to take the time to imagine your target audience.

How might they come across your website or ads? How will they interact with your material when this happens? What type of tone and verbiage will most appeal to these potential customers? Questions like this will help you give a general idea of who your customer is, known as the buyer persona.

Market research and analysis of your current customers will give you the best insight into your potential customers. This information helps you develop content that will engage people looking for your services. And once you have the interest of potential customers, your chances of converting them rise.

Visit Power Marketing today to see how our knowledge of home building makes us your best option for help with digital marketing.

Use Social Media

What was once used primarily by high school and college students has spread to almost every societal demographic. 79% of people in the US had a social media profile in 2019. This includes everyone from students to parents to older adults. And you can be guaranteed that people need a home builder within that range of users.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram have millions of users. These can be great ways to connect with people actively searching for your company’s services. Post pictures of recent projects on Instagram. Make how-to videos and upload them to YouTube. Link all of these into Facebook so they get posted in multiple places simultaneously.

The more content you put out, the better your chances of them being shared. This puts your content in front of even more people. You can also run paid advertising campaigns targeting people in your area, people who search for your service, or people who already interact with your accounts. There are plenty of benefits of digital marketing for builders within social media platforms.

Optimize Your Content

Your website is the best place for people to learn about your company and services. You want to be sure everything on your website is doing as much as it can to help people find you. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) and local SEO come in.

Several complex algorithms go into arranging the order of results when you search on Google or any other search engine. Your goal is to be the first result when someone searches for your service. People don’t tend to scroll much further than the first page of search results, so you want to be as close to the top as possible.

Optimized content is one of the most essential aspects of digital marketing for builders. Imagine the keywords a potential customer might type into the search engine to find your website. Take those words and base your content around them—page titles, on-screen copy, blog entries, etc. Using these keywords in a reader-friendly way will help your rankings in search results. This helps bring interested customers directly to your website.

Call a Professional

Digital marketing can be beneficial for builders to target their audience and engage them. This can be done in many ways, requiring frequent attention. However, many builders prefer to focus on building and digital marketing, leaving digital marketing to be ignored.

This is where Power Marketing comes in. Our knowledge of the home building industry and digital marketing makes us an indispensable asset to your home building company.

Visit Power Marketing today to see how we can set you up with a digital marketing plan that produces results.

The post The Basics of Digital Marketing for Builders appeared first on Power-Marketing.

A brand is much more than a colorful logo or an eye-catching design.

When you hear the term “branding,” what is the first thing that comes to mind as a home builder? Maybe you immediately envision famous logos populating the shelves of grocery stores or that trademarked image on a soda can. You’re not wrong, but at the same time, you’re not entirely correct. When purchasing a new home, that’s a much more significant investment than a jar of peanut butter or a case of soft drinks!

In the homebuilding industry, your brand is a promise to potential homebuyers. Proper branding is a consistent pledge to your customers that they will receive an emotional, rewarding, and valuable experience when choosing your homebuilding business to create their dream home.

Crafting all of this into a symbolic embodiment of what your homebuilding company offers is crucial to a successful marketing strategy. It’s not about shouting louder than your competitors or simply identifying your new homes or services; instead, it’s about eliciting that sense of security from homebuyers. When they see your homebuilding brand, they know it represents happy homeowners—friends and family who have purchased a new home from you—and you’ve exceeded all expectations.

Schedule your FREE consultation now!

The post Tuesday Tip 7/31/18 – Don’t Leave Your Brand Up To Chance appeared first on Power-Marketing.

We’ve been specializing in homebuilder marketing for quite some time and know just how to ensure our homebuilding clients get the best exposure for their new homes. That being said, we always spend time getting to know our homebuilding partners before building their new website, discussing the importance of marketing automation and necessity of best SEO practices. But we always start the conversation asking about their homebuilding “brand”.  It’s surprising to learn how often homebuilders can’t give a simple answer as to what is their brand.

What exactly is a brand? Does such a thing exist or is it just more marketing strategy mumbo jumbo slight of hand? Some people think their color scheme and logo make up their brand. What do you think? I believe that the concept of ‘brand’ is slightly overrated and very misunderstood.

I believe a brand is a promise delivered! That promise is expressed in many ways: customer service, great product, value, price, quick response, etc. Great marketing always comes down to one thing: Tell your audience, in a compelling way, what your company does that is unique and better than your competition. Answer that question and perform the answer consistently, and you’re on your way to building a good brand. That doesn’t mean you don’t need a good logo or consistent marketing or a web design that provides customers with a great experience. You do!

Don’t confuse the concept of image building with branding. They are similar, but not the same. The following is a simplified definition of branding found in Wikipedia®:

A brand includes a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the use of the product or service and through the influence of advertising, design and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it.

The simplest concept of branding is that it’s much more than images, icons or names. The capacity to own a brand is larger and more far-reaching than any ad or marketing campaign could ever hope to be. Brand loyalty is truly a gift to companies from customers when the business proves, beyond any doubt, that they are worthy of their trust. This usually occurs when the company’s performance, credibility and consistency have risen above the competition. At that point, the company becomes the proud owner of that which only customers can give and take away — solid brand recognition.

Image advertising can buttress an existing brand, but rarely will it ever create one on its own. If you have a bad image, you need to change it by improving your product, service, or the client’s perception of both. Product image is about reputation, credibility and standing in the community. While you can control your company’s brand identity (which is its graphic appearance), you have less control over its image (which is the general perception your customers have).

Brand is about the consistent performance of quality and benefits that you articulate and, hopefully, maintain in numerous media. It’s a strategic way of establishing your company and products in the minds of customers by using advertising (newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, outdoor medium and the Internet), collateral materials (flyers, brochures, print, direct mail, trade shows and telemarketing) and even point-of-purchase materials among other things to “brand” your image into the minds of your consumers. Much like a rancher brands his image into the hindquarter of his herd.

Branding 101 teaches that a brand is more than a name or a company logo and that customer loyalty can’t be earned by an ad. In order to gain customer brand loyalty — which is a concept that is fading every day — you must gain customer’s trust over time by consistently performing in a fashion that demonstrates your credibility.

Try these five brand-building ideas and employ them into your marketing strategy to begin creating better brand recognition:

1.     Make a specific brand promise and consistently deliver on that promise.
2.     Keep your marketing consistent (website, logo, collateral materials, signs, etc.)
3.     Don’t attempt to be everything to everyone. The Internet gives businesses the ability to niche our products and services like never before.
4.     Position someone in your organization as an expert in your field using seminars, social media marketing, editorials/white papers, blogs or other means.
5.     Your business needs to own something if you don’t have a unique product or service: a story, a unique offering, and a social audience.

Branding is important, but it isn’t simply a one-step process. The concept of owning a brand is popular, but the process is much more difficult. To own a brand is to possess the top-level of recognition of a category in the consumer’s mind. Xerox owns the copying category. FedEx owns the overnight shipping category. And Godiva owns the chocolate gift category. What category can you own?

I wish you success in your branding efforts. To learn more about the ideas in this article and others, visit our website at www.Power-Marketing.com or contact us at info@Power-Marketing.com.

The post What Makes Up Your Brand? 5 Quick Tips appeared first on Power-Marketing.

When it comes to home builder marketing, different is radical! Being better is simply boring.

So many of our home builder clients attempt to outgun their competition by incrementally improving their product, service or workmanship. Folks, it simply doesn’t work. One-upmanship is the slow road to mediocrity and the fast path to ‘who cares.’

Although permission-based marketing automation has become very popular and effective, interruptions are still crucial for marketing success. The term ‘pattern-interrupt’ is used by psychologists to address the ability to distract or interrupt our brains, forcing us out of autopilot mode. You may not recognize it, but your brain runs on autopilot more often than not. In order to preserve precious energy consumption levels (your brain consumes nearly 20% of all the energy you use) our brain maximizes efficiency by putting many of the things we do on autopilot. We all like to believe that we are highly thoughtful and give careful consideration to most decisions; unfortunately, we really don’t. Much of what we do is literally on autopilot.

Our autopilot mode happens so naturally and without any mental energy, it’s hard to recognize it even if you’re looking for it.

I recently visited my daughter in England. The drive from Heathrow Airport to their home is roughly 200 miles. That 3.5-hour journey became a personal case study in my brain’s autopilot capabilities. Here’s the deal: any typical trip, in a typical car, in a recognized location allows my brain to stay comfortably in autopilot. But this trip was anything but typical and my mind was instantly jolted out of it’s comfort zone.

I immediately found myself in serious cognitive overload. Everything was totally new and my mental abilities were immediately tested. In autopilot mode, I can navigate a route, drive, listen to music, talk to my wife, contemplate our destination and even take a call. But I suddenly found myself redlining! Anything more than driving was overload.

I had to get in the car on the wrong side. I had to drive on the wrong side of the road – through over 50+ round-a-bouts (going backwards according to my experience, I might add)! My vehicle was a manual so I had to steer with my right hand and shift with my left!  None of the sign graphics made any sense. My phone navigation wasn’t working. My wife tried to navigate… yikes! It was getting dark and my stress level was at an all-time high. My brain was in total attention mode… no autopilot at all. When everything is unknown, your brain has to work extremely hard to process the incoming data. WHY??

The answer is simple: my mind was forced out of autopilot into full, lockdown, cognitive overload. What does this have to do with marketing new homes? Your buyers and prospects are going about their day in autopilot mode. In order to get them to pay attention, you need to interrupt their autopilot pattern. Do that and you can be certain they’re listening; otherwise they’re paying as much attention to your pitch as they do during a typical drive to the super market. Zombie-like they’re ignoring most of what we say.

If you really want to get someone’s attention, be different. Offer something different. Do something different. Simply being better than your closest competitor will never get your brand noticed. Do something legitimately different and they’ll listen and pay attention. Here are two ideas to consider in your messaging:

• Be unique: The brain loves something it doesn’t see every day. As a matter of fact, your brain is prewired to open the conscious door wide open when something truly unique is encountered. Better isn’t unique; only true differences, not the ‘same old same old”, can reach that level.

• Share a story: Tell a tale that resonates with your audience’s shared values. Stories are highly capable of reaching beyond your subconscious thoughts. Understand your client, discover what they value, then convey your message in story form; your audience will love you for it!

My 200-mile expedition in England helped me realize how powerful my own brain’s autopilot can be. Once you are operating totally outside of your subconscious comfort zone, you can really see how much energy it saves. You and your clients are the same. If you want their attention and truly want to be compelling, difference is a powerful tool. Use it and win.

The post Better is Boring—Different is Radical! appeared first on Power-Marketing.

The Internet has certainly changed nearly everything we ever knew about marketing … but not everything. Today I want to talk about something that many of you already know, but few actually practice: The art of carving out a market niche. In today’s information-overloaded world, if you say three things you’ve said nothing. The ability to focus your message has always been a marketing recipe for success. The sharper your marketing arrow is the deeper it will pierce.

Scattershot Marketing Vs. Bullseye Marketing

Unfortunately, the power behind true target marketing is also its weakness. Why do so many businesses choose “shotgun marketing” over the precision of deadly accurate bullseye marketing? Two main reasons….

First, utilizing the  shotgun approach has historically guaranteed at least some collateral results. Second, the pinpoint accuracy of target marketing leaves your marketing department on pins and needles. They know there is a large audience that won’t get caught in the small net you’re casting. Yes, that’s a bit unnerving for the inexperienced marketer, but it shouldn’t be.

The ultimate power of the Internet isn’t its ability to find you millions of customers, although it certainly can. The true power of online marketing  is the ability to identify your targeted customer. Therein is the secret to creating your specific niche. Never in history has there been a tool as powerful as the Internet to locate specific buyers who are looking for the exact product or service you offer!

Scratch That Niche!

So how do you determine a niche? Which niche is best for you? Don’t think you need to make your entire company a niche company? You should seriously reconsider your perspective—many businesses have made millions speaking directly to their niche audience. Sometimes the best approach to niche marketing is a medium-term campaign targeting a specific need. Here’s the deal. Find a problem associated with your business and you have found a niche. Meet a need and you’ll succeed!

Do you remember the Domino’s promise: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less—or it’s free.” For reasons outside the scope of this conversation they can no longer use that USP (unique selling proposition), but it worked like magic. Your USP isn’t a slogan; it’s a unique “no one else can do it” promise, selling your compelling message that prompts your customers into action.

So, let’s say your business is a roadside market/gift shop. Most take this advertising and marketing approach: “We have fresh fruits and vegetables, snacks and seasonal gifts.” Reasonable enough. But not as effective as: “Guaranteed fresh organic fruits and vegetables. And while the supply lasts we have handmade, local country baskets.”

Now, like Domino’s Pizza, there is more to the pitch than words. Domino’s had to be able to perform or they would be giving away a lot of pizza. They designed their entire system around that promise. The orders had to be immediately processed, the pizza had to cook quickly enough, the drivers had to know the area, and they had to keep it hot and tasty just to name a few challenges. If Domino’s can do it for an entire business model your company can do it for a campaign or two. If your brand is built around the promise “Guaranteed Organic” you will have to make sure you can achieve it. That means you must be capable that you carry enough organic produce to appease the customer.

Pursuing a market niche requires precision and clear customer understanding. That shouldn’t scare you because if you can capture your target you will win big. What if the executives at Domino’s had said, “no, we don’t want to pursue that promise because not everyone wants their pizza in 30 minutes or less?” Or what if FedEx decided that guaranteed overnight delivery would mean they would lose people who were perfectly content with 72-hour delivery? The point is this: if you can successfully brand your campaign or company as the owners of a targeted, specific promise and succeed, you will win big.

Contact us today and learn how you can position your business to maximize the Internet truly capturing your coveted demographic. Trust me, it’s possible, the Power Marketing team is elbows deep in it every day, helping our clients identify their niche!

The post Find That Niche That Only You Can Scratch appeared first on Power-Marketing.

Q: What’s the difference between a brand and a logo?
A: The concept of ‘brand’ is often overrated and misunderstood. A brand is a promise delivered! That promise is expressed in many ways: customer service, website, great product, value, price, phone manners, website usability, etc. In order to create a powerful brand, a business must attempt to affect as many touch-points as possible.

Marketing firms in Maryland know great marketing always comes down to this: Understand your audience, and in a compelling way, communicate what your company does that is unique and better than the other choices they have.

Brand loyalty is a gift given to a company from its customers when that business proves, beyond any doubt, that they are worthy of the customer’s trust. This usually occurs when the company’s value, performance, credibility and consistency have risen above the competition. At that point, the company becomes the proud owner of that which only customers can give and take away — brand recognition.

Q: Why is a clear USP so important to any business’ marketing efforts?
A: Your ability to set your organization apart from the competition is critical to successful marketing. The best way to set your business apart is to be different from everyone else in at least one very important way. That way is called your unique selling proposition (USP). Businesses that try to be everything to everyone will struggle while those who have focus will find greater success.

This is the second in a series of Q&As with Brian Flook. To see other posts, click here. If you have a Maryland marketing question you’d like answered feel free to email Brian directly!

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