Marketing a small business is difficult, and I am sure we can all agree there have been moments where we find ourselves losing valuable time and money. But most importantly, that magic question is always on our mind: How do we get more customers? With SEO, social media, and digital interaction changing the way a small business markets, it can be very time-consuming trying to keep up with the trends.
Marketing today is less about selling and more about positioning yourself as the leading “go to” person in your line of work. It’s less about chasing customers and more about having customers seek you. Of course this sounds ideal, but how does a small business owner do it? There are 4 easy steps you can follow that will help position you as an expert and encourage customers to come to you:
- Relate to the problems your customer faces and the pains these problems create
- Develop trust by positioning yourself as the problem solver
- Publish expert content providing information your ideal customer is seeking
- Use images and video to build loyalty
This article series will walk you through these 4 steps with easy tips on how you can position yourself as the person your ideal customer seeks for information!
Step 1: Your customers have a personality; let’s define it.
As a business leader we are blessed that God is using us to serve others, the question is how well do you know your customers? If you want customers coming to you, you have to position yourself as an expert and create messaging that directly relates to the problems and emotions they experience. Below we give you 4 easy tips to help you really tap into your customer’s problems, wants, and needs.
1. Who is your Target Market? Take the time and truly define who your ideal customer is. Is it a wide target such as females ages 35-55, or is it a narrow target such as local restaurant owners? To help define your target market ask yourself the following questions:
- Who exactly will my services and products help the most?
- What segment has the path of least residence?
- What group of people has the willingness to purchase my products?
2. What makes your Target Market act? Now that you have defined your target market, the next question is what do they really want, and what makes them act? This will help you create an emotional connection with them.
- What does your ideal customer want more than anything?
- What are they complaining about?
- What motivates them to act (seeing what they post on social media will help with this)?
- What do they really need?
3. What problems do they face? Your customers have problems, and you have the solution to their problems. It is easier to gain more customers if you can position yourself as the problem solver.
- What is the biggest problem you can solve for your customer?
- What effects and pain does this problem create?
- What is the solution to this problem?
- What are the 3 top objectives preventing them from using this solution?
4. Become the Problem Solver: God has given you talent; how can you use this talent to help your ideal customer overcome their challenges? What expert advice can you offer this customer? You will gain more customers if you are that expert who guides them through the buying cycle.
- What advice can you give them to overcome this problem and ease their “pain”?
- What information are they searching for right now?
- What can you provide to help them overcome their objections, guide them through the buying process, and develop trust (must be something they would value)?
- What are the top benefits and experiences your customers will value after they follow your advice?
Now that you have all of this valuable information, what do you do with it? in the next step we will provide 5 easy tips on how you can use it to position yourself as the “go to” person your ideal customers are seeking.
I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Jer 29:11
