Why Do Small Business Owners Sell to Anybody?

While having a conversation with the managing partner of a law firm the question was asked,” what is the top mistake that owners often make when it comes to marketing?”

From my experience, the big mistake I see people do is that they sell a service to anybody who needs accounting, anybody who needs legal advice, or anybody who needs a bookkeeper.

Narrowing your focus is how you really end up figuring out how to attract more of the same ideal customer, and how to differentiate.

Let me tell you what must be in place to make your small business marketing work.

A narrow focus on a defined set of customers.

As a small business owner, you have limited resources, time and attention span so in order to maximize what you do have, you have to define who and what makes an ideal customer for your business.

This type of narrow focus on a subset of customers from your target market allows you to build your entire marketing process: SEO, website design, materials, email newsletters, Google AdWords, digital marketing, branding, message, CRM, social media, services, sales and support around attracting and serving this customer group.

Narrow your client focus and then figure out what it is that you do that they love so that you can then use that as the message for who you serve.

Hard Truth! It’s lazy to assume that your customer wants the core service you provide whether that is accounting, consulting, landscaping, plumbing, coaching, training, etc.)

Instead, speak with them to learn what they believe they will get, achieve, dodge, or acquire based on buying what you sell.

This will uncover the real reason they do business with you and the problem you really solve for them.

For example, we were working with a tree service that attracted a specific type of homeowner. After interviewing their customers we spotted the following in several summaries — “They never damage my yard and always clean up when they’re done.”

Turns out that their ideal customer had beautiful front and back yards and didn’t want any damage done to the monthly landscaping work they pay for.

While most of their competitor’s messaging focused on how they were award-winning, voted best, and having 60yrs experience at removing trees our client began to focus on — “We never damage your yard and always clean up when we’re done.” — getting prospective homeowners to pay a premium to solve that problem.

Those two points scare a lot of people off because you are ultimately saying, “Here’s who we do not serve,” And that’s actually one key to growing your business.