So you have taken a week to absorb my last blog and to reflect on EXACTLY who your target market(s) is. Next………
I’m sure you’ve been told the next step is to find out where your target market hangs out, what they read, etc.
FORGET THAT: START TO GET CREATIVE WITH THIS.
- First, step into their shoes. Again let’s take the example from last week about the probate, wills, trust attorney. If you were to target market(TM) the young family market, pretend you have just started a family(or remember when you did) and begin a journal about what your concerns are. I think you will find Mothers have different worries than Fathers. Also people who are starting their families later in life are in a different situation. Think about any differences in concerns for that age group? Write this in your journal.
- Instead of just finding out what the TM is reading, read it yourself. Buy a parent magazine and see what the subjects are about. Check out Amazon and find out what books young families s are buying. Read them. Put the information you find out in a separate part of your journal.
- If you know a new family, interview them. Tell them you are writing an article on what worries new parents the most. To make this sincere and legitimate, you are going to also have to write the article as well, which is a good thing.
These are just a few ideas that I thought of to start thinking outside the box. I’m sure you will come up with many more once you stop thinking in only the traditional way.
THE NEXT STEP: Believe it or not, is to start formulating your Business Mission Statement.
You can go to the internet and find instructions about how to formulate a good mission statement. I suggest you have both a business and a different personal mission statement. They will overlap somewhat but separating them seems to make more sense to attorneys.
Once your business mission statement is completed, you will use it as the basis for all further marketing including your LinkedIn profile, Website, advertising and all written communication. Even a shortened version on your stationery!
Remember good mission statements are sincere and filled with real promises that you will fulfill. Not just what you think you should be saying but how you plan on being of value to your clients.
Let me demonstrate using our example above.
BAD “I am a highly experienced and gifted attorney who will fulfill your every wish in the end of life documents I draft for you.” (this doesn’t tell the reader what needs the attorney is satisfying and is much too self serving and overblown. Additionally, the term, end of life, is scary.)
GOOD “ A firm dedicated to helping you fulfill your wishes to have a secure and accurate distribution of your assets”(the word accurate is not exactly right, but best I can do right now). ( You can see the difference in that this ones speaks directly to the potential client and tell him/her your promise.)
This gives you enough to think about and implement next week. Remember, I will be writing at least four more blogs on Solo Marketing helpful information. If you actually implement these new approaches you should see results in about three to six months. Let me know how it is working for you.