In a previous post, I mentioned that I had signed up for Clarity, the site that allows you to hire (or be hired) as an expert by the minute. There are people seeking help with marketing, engineering, software, design, business development, non-profits, finance and on and on.
I saw an opportunity to donate some time on weekends and evenings and to give the money to Charity: Water.
I have attracted a number of individuals who have contacted me for marketing advice, and a theme is developing from most of the calls. Although the businesses are different, in varying industries and at several stages of growth, they all have one thing in common. They are making everything too complicated to serve their core market. They don’t understand the power of simple.
Here are the five themes that come up on most calls during my marketing coaching sessions:
1. Can you make it easier to buy from your company? I often advise people to go to the Mexican restaurant chain Chipotle and look at how they have simplified the process of purchasing. Clear. Easy. Not too many choices.
2. Are you really clear who is your ideal customer? Before trying to market or promote your brand, get clarity. You need to find the right customers whose problems you can solve not a lot of unqualified leads. A lot of weak leads will waste your time and distract you from your goal.
3. Are you worrying about competition? Make sure your message explains why your brand/service is different from your competitors but don’t spend your day worrying about the competition. Focus on your strengths not your competition’s challenges to you. Worry about competition is an excuse to lose focus.
4. Are you acting quickly to get your product or service into the hands of potential customers before the product is perfect? Learn from them; see what they love and what they hate. Understand how your product fits with their life. Act. Don’t over think things too much. Remember in high school 92 on paper is still an A. Perfect shouldn’t be your target. Learn about the MVP. (minimally viable product) Let potential customers be part of your product development effort before its too late.
5. Do you offer something for free so that potential customers can sample your product, service and how you do business? Give a little something away to move them to become buying customers. The free to pay model is a proven method that works.
Coaching, Charity and Clarity
To date I have donated about $343.70 to Charity: Water. Since their started, they have funded 11,712 water projects in 22 countries. They are trying to help the 800 million people throughout the world who don’t have access to clean water.
It is an honor and a privilege that I can give advice to people to help them market their business and in return the funds they pay me are used to help this worthy cause.
If you are interested in learning more or donating to their good works, please follow this link. If you’d like to join Clarity and offer your advice and counsel and donate to a cause, follow this link to get started. If you’d like to hire me to consult on a marketing or business development project, you can connect with me through Clarity at this link. I donate all of my fees to Charity: Water.
If you are interested in learning more or donating to their good works, please follow this link. If you’d like to join Clarity and offer your advice and counsel and donate to a cause, follow this link to get started. If you’d like to hire me to consult on a marketing or business development project, you can connect with me through Clarity at this link. I donate all of my fees to Charity: Water.
I’m drinking a clean glass of water while I write this post, and realize how fortunate I am.
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Need a marketing coach? You can hire me through Clarity to provide advice about marketing for your new product, business or service. I donate 100% of your fee to charity.
Just follow the link for some Clarity.
Jeffrey,
Thank you for (another) interesting post. As a business management consultant, I often encounter themes similar to those that you’ve outlined. I especially liked #4: “Perfect shouldn’t be your target”, and I see many companies that miss opportunities while they pursue perfection instead of putting their ideas out to the market, then reacting quickly to the feedback that they get.
Pamela, Thanks for your comment. This is a pattern that occurs often in businesses of all size where perfect is the enemy of good enough. Small businesses are particularly sensitive to this issue where owners think a perfect web site, product or process is needed to get started. It is often a big mistake and real market feedback is powerful tool for realignment and adjustment.