If you had one arrow, and ten targets, what are your chances of hitting any of them if you tried to aim at all of them?

That's what happens when you try to target too broad an audience. Yes, I may have some principles or concepts that can be applied to your financial, spiritual, or physical well-being, but if I start talking about all of those, I cannot reach you, I cannot help you recognize what you want to repair or adjust within yourself. I cannot help you understand how I might help you. So I have to make my marketing words reach people with a specific problem or need, and release my feeling that I can be all things to all people.

Choose your target

Narrowing your target focuses your intention and your words. I learned this when I changed my web site to a portal site. It boasts two sides. And once I did marketing became easy. One group of people want to hear one type of message, they are interested in one set of results. The other group has different needs, they need different solutions.

In my case, one portion of my business offers an experience. The other portion addresses practical steps. And yet, even as I separated them, the philosophy spills over into the business side. But each target has its own vocabulary, its own set of needs, its own values. I must address each target audience separately.

What results do you want?

I find I have this problem of wanting to serve to broadly even on my products page. Do I send people to my home page so they see everything I offer? Do I send them to my store page where all my products are listed? Or do I send them to the sales page that sells only that one item?

That depends on the results I want and where they are coming from when they find me. One of the things I do that helps with the decision is to up-sell to other products on the sales page of each product. I feature related products they might be drawn to.

If I'm speaking, or giving a teleclass, or writing to, a group with an interest in creating e-books, I'm going to send them to the products I have that will help them in their quest.

If I'm not certain of the specific needs of my audience, I'll send them to my portal page and let them guide themselves.

There is this underlying fear they may miss something! But I know better. If they are meant to find it they will. That's how energy works.

Ask for it!

But wherever you point your marketing arrow, when it lands, you have to ask them for what you want. That's the call to action, the invitation to stay connected, the opportunity to purchase. Omitting a call to action, or making a whimpy one, is far too common. They've read your copy, they know who you are, what you do, and most importantly what you can do for them. So? What do you want them to do? Ask for it!

Choose Separate Targets

Just like different keywords draw different people, you need to create separate targets for each of your separate marketing arrows. You might want to experiment with different landing pages. You might want to try a squeeze page-or not. Think carefully of the people you want to draw to you, learn their language and speak only to them.

Choose Your Marketing Style

It was a huge relief for me to discover that there are salespeople and there are educators. I'm an educator and found myself continually turned off by a strong sales approach. I couldn't do it in my own copy and didn't want to. But I didn't understand I was an educator and needed to honor my softer style. You have to know your own style and express it, because it will draw to it people of like style and interests. Know the style of your target audience, and address it.

Take your time aiming

People seldom buy on the first visit. They need to get to know you. They need to get to trust you. Build a marketing funnel that keeps drawing them in. Keep focusing on what you want them to do, where you want them to look, what you want them to see. Take your time developing the relationship you need to create a strong customer base.

You can make your marketing arrow count, with careful aim and patience.

© Cara Lumen 2005