When you’re a solo entrepreneur or a small-business marketer, you can’t afford to blanket the airwaves with advertising, casting a huge net with the hopes of landing some fish.

Your outreach to potential customers has to be count. It has to be focused, well-targeted, and efficient.

Therefore, when determining your target audience, you should ask yourself a sequence of simple questions:

1. Who needs my product/service?

2. Who knows they need my product/service?

3. Who knows their need and can afford to purchase it?

4. Who, in that last group, can I actually reach?

That is your target audience. Everyone else may eventually become a prospect, but for now, only the last group is your source of business. Market to them, and you can succeed. Market to everyone, and you’ll likely fall by the wayside.

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In the most recent edition of Inc. magazine, which arrived in my mailbox this week, I noticed a review of new video projectors (the on-line article is here). Now I like technology and gadgets, but I simply do not understand what thought process – if any – goes into the naming of many of these products. In this case, all six of the models reviewed had clearly passed through the Alfred E. Neuman brand-naming process:

• Sony VPL-FX40
• Panasonic PT-DW10000U
• NEC NP60
• Sharp XR-30X
• Toshiba TDP-FF1AU
• Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080

Names only a product engineer could love, or come up with. [Read more...]

One of the first bridges to be crossed when launching or building a brand is advertising. How much time and money and effort do I spend “reaching” my target audience with advertising? What is the “ad value” – what’s the ROI?

Advertising certainly has its place in building brand awareness. But perhaps, first and foremost, you should ask this question…how do I add value?

What are you doing, not merely to reach your target audience with a message, but to be a valuable resource? Do you add value, or just add noise?

From the beginning of my new business launch just over a year ago, I started a weekly e-newsletter joined to a blog, in which I highlight news, links, resources, my own commentary, and other stuff. It’s a mix of industry information (pharmaceuticals) and some lighter fare as well. It’s been quite well-received, because many of those in my target audience do not have time or expertise to gather all this info. It’s a weekly investment of time gladly made, because it’s one unique way in which I seek to add value.

This week, I received a very encouraging e-mail, from someone on the list (whom I’ve never actually met):

I have to say the information that you share with everyone is fascinating and informative, and also fun. I have passed your weekly news on to several of my colleagues here at _________, but wanted you to know how much I look forward to receiving your email every Friday…You really do excellent work in your investigation of current items, future items and even nostalgic things.Thank you so much.

It’s not the first such note I’ve received, but this one certainly made my heart sing, because this person was gaining value. If you invest in adding value to your community, it’s a near certainty that you’ll eventually gather a return on that investment.

So, before you get all caught up in ad value, take a creative look at how you can add value. If others aren’t doing it, why shouldn’t you?