Business owners come to me with a variety of descriptions for what they WANT, ranging from:
- help opening a new practice location, to
- expanding their reach, to
- training their sales team, to
- filling events, to
- doubling their income.
However, each description is typically just a different way to say that they want more (and better paying) clients, customers or patients.
Now, there’s a very common, often ignored, entirely cliche strategy to do this… and I was reminded of it in August’s mastermind meeting: TARGETING.
WAIT! Don’t leave yet. I want to take this cliche of targeting in your business to the proverbial nth degree, because it has the potential to be SO INCREDIBLY profitable.
If you want or need NEW and/or better paying clients, yes you should ABSOLUTELY target the market you want. However, while choosing the right niche or target market allows you to customize your message and media in such a way that makes it more effective, it doesn’t ALWAYS result in quick growth or profit. So, I suggest taking this strategy of “target-ing” a bit further.
Make a list of specific targets.
I’ve long suggested having a list of 50 potential clients or targets. 50 NAMES (of businesses or individuals) you’re targeting and speaking to individually. 50 targets you’re pursuing directly.
THIS strategy ALONE allows for FULL customization of message, media and offer. It also lends itself most easily to making an offer and going for a yes or no. (Rather than sending a marketing piece and “waiting.” It keeps business owners and sales people in direct conversation — rather than simply “putting an offer OUT THERE” and waiting for a response.
Let me be honest: I ALWAYS have a list of 50 potential clients I’m targeting. It is a printed list and my entire team knows who’s on it. Our target list is also on a document we all have access to digitally as well. I can pull it up RIGHT NOW and see who’s on it, the last communication we had with each person on the list, and where they are in our prescribed sales process. This is important because this one strategy creates a simple, predictable and direct path to profit.
In mastermind this week, one of our own described the hiring process for her law firm based in MO. She targeted attorneys she wanted to hire and went to them directly. 3 fairly informal conversations later they were either hired or not.
Simple. Direct. Quick. Because of her laser-targeted approach.
I encourage you to implement the same in your own practice, firm or business.
