Getting Good Targeted Prospects

Almost all home-based entrepreneurs have the problem of attracting quality prospects, especially those who will buy from us. There are thousands of articles out there purporting to show you exactly how to reach that all-important target group of people who are your best prospects. Many of these ideas are based on mathematical models, others use various psychological theories, while some are based on personal experience of the person advocating the marketing idea. There are so many thoughts about targeting the right prospects, it is mind-boggling.

While researching (surfing the Web) for information on another article I was writing, I stumbled upon several ideas that seemed to stand out from the others. They seemed good enough that I believe at least parts of them will work. I want to share these targeting thoughts with you, and that is the reason for this article. You probably won’t be able to do everything suggested; just choose what you think you can do and start doing it.

FINDING YOUR BEST PROSPECTS

This article talks about several aspects of getting the correct prospects for your business. Your business may not be making as much money as you believe it should. There is a good chance this is because you have not found your best market niche, meaning the best prospects to receive your product pitch. Here are some ideas that may help you find your best leads:

One of he first things to realize is that everyone is not your best prospect. Most people feel that concentrating on a smaller group of people will not make you as much money, but this is not true. Rather, if you choose a smaller group where the intersection of wants, trends, and frustrations meet, you may find your real niche market of eager prospects. Even after you think you have found the correct niche, continue searching; people go in and out of your preferred target group, so you will need a continuous group of replacements.

What are wants? They are things that make people feel good; whatever they buy, they are simply buying how they would like to feel. An example is divorcees buying weight loss programs.

Another niche determinant is the trend. Trends are ideas that are growing in general popularity like social media or Reality TV. To find what the trends affecting your potential prospects are, visit any neighborhood sporting event or other large gathering and listen to what people are discussing. The ideas and products they are talking about are the emerging trends you are looking for.
The most powerful buying determinant is frustration. Frustration results from a circumstance or event that irritates your potential prospect so much they can hardly think of anything else.

To see how wants, trends, and frustration affect your prospect, draw a picture with your prospect at the top. Then draw intersecting circles for each of the three factors. This will help you connect with your potential prospects.
Develop a marketer’s mindset, rather than that of a consumer. Consumers only think of their current needs, whereas a marketer will think of the long-range effects their products will have on their market. This will enable you to focus on how your product or service will help your customers attain their entrenched desires and wants.

Standard practice says to find an empty space in the market and fill it; however, it is often better to follow the money. This means going where people are spending money on the products and services you offer. When you go where the people are, you have a ready-made audience. It will help your marketing efforts if you study those who are already marketing in your space and determine their customers and their successful sales pitch.

If you only sell and deliver a product to customers, you will most likely lose money. You need to examine what profitable businesses are doing and use the ideas to develop your own plan to move profitable customers through your pipeline. Some of the best marketing practices you will want to use in your plan are presenting powerful landing pages and the ability to provide a lot of free educational information. When you develop a plan that includes these tools, you will be able to upsell your customers into your own profitable market.

CONTROLLING YOUR NICHE

Here is a discussion of ways to find your niche market, if you don’t already have one, and what you can do to retain control for yourself. Here’s a possible plan:

Never respond to Requests for Proposal (RFP). This enables you to be paid before you deliver whatever it is you sell. It also allows you to keep most of your company’s equity for yourself.

Try to develop a niche not marketed to by the whole world; this will let you control everything and set all the rules. To find such a niche, consider things in your own life that are missing or not working like they should. The author uses his triathlon running as an example. His running shorts do not have a convenient pocket for carrying his energy gels, so, if he were going to start a new business, he would consider designing and selling adequate shorts for runners.

When participating in hobby or other interest events, ask yourself what is something that will make this activity better?

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS
It is a well known fact that using celebrities to promote your products and services is a technique that works. The big problem for most of us is that we don’t have enough contacts to accomplish this. Here is a discussion that may show how to establish such relationships. Many of the people who can influence product sales are well-known bloggers; however, they get so many requests for help that they simply ignore most of them. Here are some things you may be able to do to get them to help sell your products or services:
If you communicate by e-mail, don’t send a flattering statement by itself; such e-mails are no longer acceptable. You need to send something that says, “I love your stuff and you’ve changed my life.” Then, include exactly how it has affected your life.

Spend as much time trying to interest a blogger with a 1 million readership as you would the editor of a publication with a 1 million person subscription base. The blog is many times more powerful than the magazine because the decision to purchase is only a click away. With the magazine you must remember where the product was displayed, then log in to your computer, find the seller, and only then can you purchase the item.

The same principle exists with appearing on a high volume TV show, like Good Morning America. If you get the same exposure on a relatively small blog, you will sell 100 times more using the blog. You are not after the largest possible audience, you are after the best audience.

To find the best blogs available you must dig around. Technorati is a good tool to use.

To establish lasting relationships with bloggers, don’t use e-mail or the telephone. Spend the money and take the time to go wherever your interest lies. Spend a week in San Francisco, Nashville, New York, or wherever the center of your activity is. Meet the people you need to know face to face.
Writers are story tellers, just like bloggers. They both make a living doing the same things, so they are able to build a lasting relationship based on common interests

Relationships come from networking, so, to connect with bloggers, you must also develop networking skills.

CONCLUSION
We have discussed ways to find your best prospects, how to find and protect your best niche, and ways to build lasting relationships with people who can help you. As with all other articles showing how to accomplish your objectives, you likely will not want to use everything that has been suggested. However, there should be enough ideas to benefit you and your business.
Be aware that you must do a considerable amount of research to make any of these plans work. You will be happy with the results if you pursue these ideas.