Written by Andrew Holliday | March 30, 2017
I’d rather be loved by many and hated by some than ignored by all. Building your brand, marketing, and communications to speak to a very specific ideal customer means you’ll inevitably put off some people. That’s great!
You’re probably saying, “Are you nuts? Why on earth would I intentionally ignore, or potentially drive away some people?”
Because you can’t please everyone. Sacrifice the 80% of people that don’t precisely fit your ideal customer profile to build rabid appeal with your perfect 20% who generate the majority of your revenue. I’m sure you’re familiar with the Pareto Principle (80% of results come from 20% of your actions, or in this case, 80% of revenue comes from 20% of clients/customers).
Branding is the ultimate exercise in the Pareto Principle. You’re working to shape the perception of your company with people who are the best fit to purchase your product or service. The entire world is not a good fit for your product. There is no way to please everyone. Go all in on your 20% and ignore the 80% who are just noise.
Take a stand based on what you deliver that is exceptional for your ideal customer. Don’t worry if your positioning is polarizing. Just make sure you are in line with what your ideal customer wants and needs. We are drawn to people and brands that we feel understand us. Trying to speak to everyone will just leave you with a watered down message that gets ignored.
Action Steps:
- Define your 80/20 – Who are the 20% of your customers generating 80% of your revenue?
- Review all of your current materials. Are you trying to please everyone? Do your website, marketing and other forms of communication come across as generic?
- Build a profile of your ideal customer/client. Where do they live, what do they do for fun, what do they read, what do they watch, do they have kids, how many kids do they have, and all of the other aspects of their life to build a personality. We even encourage you to give the ideal customer a name. Make this ideal customer real and measure all of your communication and marketing against the profile. Will it appeal to (Monique)?
- What do you offer (Monique) that she can’t get anywhere else?
- Connect these pieces together into your USP (unique selling proposition), or your brand position. Make your USP specifically identify who you’re talking to and what you offer that they can’t get anywhere else. Make me understand why I should choose you over the competition.
