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>As I wrote in the previous post, we know our >situation, but since we may not know who will use our >products/services, we need to start from we are. As we >progress, we hope to have a clearer vision of our >potential target market. > >After we convince our potential target market to use >our products/services, we can find what they like & >dislike. > >It's a potential target market because they may prefer >something else. Even if they prefer our solution, they >may not be able to afford it. If they can't afford it, >we can determine if we can decrease our costs by >removing features they don't want or would seldom use. >Or if they need a short-term solution, maybe we can >make the product or service result less durable & less >expensive. > >If We'd Start With Consumers >Though it seems ideal to start with people or >businesses & their needs, we have to start with what >our knowledge & priorities. To start with something >totally foreign would be impractical because the >learning curve would be too long & steep. > >Instead of producing a complete product/service, we >could've started with research, then designed our >product/service according to what we learn about >people's needs. But by the time our product/service is >ready to be marketed, our prospects' needs/desires may >change. It’d mean scrapping what we did or find >somebody to buy what we produced. So, we could still >end up doing the process I described below. > >The order of these issues varies according to the >situation. If you don't have an answer to each >question, find answers to the others. These answers >can direct your thoughts to other answers you need. If >you start in the middle then work toward each end of >the list, it's OK if you get the answers you need. > >Backwards May Be Inevitable >These issues are in approximate reverse order like >disruptive innovation creators should use. >This list isn't complete enough to fully cover every >possible scenario. Each of these issues/steps is a >point where we need to apply leverage to "lift" >prospects out of their previous situations. > >The drawback of working backward is we don't always >know--specifically-- where we're going. If we get >stuck, we can jump ahead--in planning--to where we >think we want to go (where we think a problem exists >which our solution can solve). It's like a maze drawn >on paper, the starting & ending points are indicated, >if we get stuck working toward the end, we can leave >our route marked, then work from the end toward the >beginning. If our routes "meet" then we're successful. > >A Retailer's Current (Hypothetical) Situation/Internal: >When we bought our inventory, which problem(s) did we >think these products would solve? >Which other products/services do people need to get a >complete solution? >What do we need to set in motion to sell our >inventory? What do we need to do so people will buy? >Do we have the necessary resources, values & processes? >Why should prospects believe our claims? How will we >show these are true? >What has to happen to make people aware of the >consequences of their need? >We want people to buy products, how will it happen? >We need to know what other problems our product might >solve. > >Message Distribution- >We need attention inducing devices, like headlines & >graphics, to "advertise" our ads. These should >convince people to invest enough time & attention so >they'll understand our messages. >We need prospects to notice our advertising messages. >We need to find people who want to & can afford to >solve this problem. > >Mapping The Potential External Situation: >Message Development- >We need people (who might have that problem) to come >to our store. >We need to let them know we have that product/solution. >Does our niche already accept their need & want to >solve it? >We need to let them know how serious their problem is >& will be. What will happen if it's not solved? >Is solving it a high priority? >What causes the problem? What makes it worse? >We need to let them know their problem can be solved. >We need to get them to admit to themselves, they have >a problem. >We need to get them to trust us as people who care >about them & have valuable knowledge. >How do they describe their problem? We should use >these descriptions in our marketing messages so our >sales copy will be interesting & meaningful. >We need to get & keep their attention long enough to >inspire their interest, desire & action. >How will we recognize those who have this problem? >Who has this or a similar problem? > >Questions For Drilling Down On Some Issues >We need to find 1 or more of these (Knowing more of >these will help us solve the problem for the most >people.)- >Where they are when they first discover they have the >problem. >Where they are most often when the problem >recurs/flares up again. >What are they doing most often when the problem >recurs/flares up again? >Where they are most often when they feel the strongest >motivation to solve the problem. >Where can they most comfortably solve the >problem/apply the solution? (Somewhat facetious >example- People may feel pain from hemorrhoids >wherever they go, but they won't apply a solution >anywhere.) >When are they closest to a place where they'll >apply/use a solution? >When are they closest to a place where they're willing >to buy a solution? (Is it a competitor they're close >to? If we can change this, how can we do it?) >Where & when are they closest to a place where they >can buy a solution? >Are there typically times when they can't afford to >buy the solution? > >Taking Action- >How can we help them discover they have the problem? >How can we help them realize they need to solve the >problem? >How can we cost-effectively make the solution process >easier for our target market? >How can we cost-effectively make the solution process >more efficient for our target market? >How can we cost-effectively make the solution process >more convenient for our target market? > >Easier, efficient & convenient are almost synonymous, >so the last 3 questions may seem redundant. But we can >substitute whichever words fit the situation. Example: >painless, helpful & timely. > >You may've concluded a lot of this intuitive, but when >people do things without conscious thought, they may >miss something important. > >Except for 1-step messages, which convince people to >buy something without any more sales effort, good ads >inspire people to inquire about products/services. >After the inquiry, they'll buy what they can afford if >they want it. > >An ad copywriter needs to achieve AIDA. But it won't >happen unless people notice & pay attention to the ad. >Good headlines & graphics get a target market's >attention & interest by "advertising" the ad. > >Dennis S. Vogel >thrivingbusiness@email.com >Without marketing processes, systems & methods, >success depends on luck. There are many ways to >build solid, lasting success. >If you want yours to last, you need effective >marketing. >You can find a lot of what you need here. >http://web1.lakefield.net/~thrivingbusiness/ >http://www.voy.com/31049/

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