“But my book can help everybody,” said Shirl.
“Ok. Great. You’re right. You do have a very powerful book with a very powerful message. However, who can it help the most?” I asked.
“Everybody. That’s why I wrote it.”
“Ok. But where does everybody live? How can you find everybody?”
“Well, there’s the woman… Well, I wanted to put up some brochures in the hospitals and Ob/Gyn departments.”
“Great. That’s a start. But who are you talking to Shirl? Who is it that can most benefit from your message?”
“You know? Well, that’s hard to say” and Shirl kept talking about her goals. She gave me more and more information and history as to why she wrote her books, what she wanted to do with them, when she was going to…
HOLD THE PHONE
“Shirl. Hold on a sec. I got it. I got it! I know how you can stop trying to market to everyone.”
The crowd at the party got quiet for a second. The jazz music Bruce had brought was playing in the background. Mary was wondering what I was going to say. Scott sat next to me on the couch with his head cocked slightly down and to the right. He was anxiously listening to the conversation. He wanted to know more. I was hurriedly gathering my thoughts. The answer… the answer to Shirl’s dilemma was right in front of me. There it was. Goddamn! It escaped me again. Wait. I can see it now. The words are coming – slowly at first – and then all of a sudden “Bam!” I got it. I had it. Here goes…
“Shirl,” I continued, “I got it. What if you told your story? What if you used that as a way to filter out ‘the everyone’ you’re referring to? Do you see where I’m headed with this? You see, you simply can’t market to everyone. Marketing to everyone is the same as marketing to no one. Your market begins with one person first and then slowly expands to more people. If you share your very powerful story, then you will immediately find people that it resonates with. Some people will click with your struggles and your triumphs. Others won’t. Some will click with your voice. They’ll hear something in it that resonates with them. Some will click with what you look like. And that’s fine. It’s normal. It makes sense. Share your story. That will get you closer to your ideal client. That will help you get your message to the people that need it the most.”
Silence came over Shirl’s face. Bruce was deep in thought. His eyes were squinty behind the black ringed glasses he wore. He wanted to know more. He was hungry. Something I said resonated with him. He wasn’t the only one that heard something unique. Scott did too. Scott has great ears. He lives in a world of sound. He heard something in my voice and he wanted more.
I accomplished my mission. I was able to teach yet one more person why you can’t market to everyone. I was happy. I smiled inwardly.
I market to one person at a time. “Market” isn’t even the right term. I “share” with one person at a time. I make it real for them. I use their life, their product and their goals as the example in my teaching.
It works. Shirl got it. Mary gets it. Bruce and Scott got it and are hungry for more.
Are you hungry for more?
If you are, here’s a quick video explaining my “Triangle Approach to Marketing”
It should clear up any other doubts you had in your attempt to market to the non-existent and elusive “Everyone.”
