Who are you targeting... and why?

A client of mine emailed me the following question, which opens up the discussion around "who are you targeting... and why?" Keep in mind, this is for a photographer not your typical corporate/government sales environment.

Question: "I can see the power of sending gifts and follow-up. What if sending gifts is forbidden, like government employees, corporations with that policy, how do I get around these obstacles?"

[Part 1 of my answer addresses the use of spelling mistakes in your materials]

Answer:

Hi William,

Couple things:

1) Typos sometimes are planned sometimes not. Being seen as a real person that is prone to mistakes can be a benefit in the impersonal world. Other times, these are a mistake (I am a BIG believer that success in marketing is Fire ready aim approach. Things do go out with mistakes but I have yet to have a return based on that alone. You accomplish more in a marketing campaign that has spelling mistakes than a marketing campaign that has been edited and critiqued to the point of losing its luster.

2) With gov't employees what would you sell to them? and why would you want to? In my own opinion you are going to be WAY more successful finding a niche outside the government and outside of selling to large corporations. Selling to those markets you can expect long sales cycles, RFPs (which you will never win), and price comparison. Selling to individuals you can hand pick your niche and you can be much more aggressive and giving in your marketing.

If you MUST sell to gov't and corps go after the education approach. Send them special reports, white papers, teleseminars, booklets, etc anything that educates them on what you do and why they need it.

3) Read this article I just wrote it gives you tools (newsletters and event themed promotions) that will grow you fast enough to handle. Pay attention to Rita's story this is the real deal! $250,000 in new revenues in 5 months from a simple newsletter!

Marketing reminders for December and January

They are ready and boy o boy are they hot!

I spoke this weekend at an event where I shared these tips and everyone there said

#1 I should be charging for these ideas (I like that idea

#2 that anyone who actually uses them (rather than sitting on their duff after reading them) WILL make moola from them. It would physically be impossible not to.

They are powerful but you have to use them.

It's funny: when you give away things for free, people just don't give it a solid value (and do nothing with the information). As soon as they pay for it WHAM now we have their attention and they actually start using the ideas provided.