Focus the Message
On the evening news each night there is a story of another round of layoffs, more businesses closing and shrinking budgets. You may feel a general sense of fear and uncertainty. Whether you are part of a business or a non-profit organization, shrinking budgets, personnel cuts and spending freezes are now the norm. This may feel like the right time to begin searching frantically for new clients or new donors. A likely response is to begin throwing out your net as wide as possible in a desperate attempt to reach any new source of income.
However, this is not the right time to lose sight of your focus. Instead it’s an ideal time to sharpen the focus on what your organization or business does best and then communicate that to a carefully defined target audience that will respond.
The most common answer I receive to the question, “Who do you want to reach with your message?” is ‘”Everyone.” However, “everyone” will not be interested in your message or your business. There is a specific group of people who will respond to what you offer. To effectively spread your message you need to focus.
1. Focus on what you do best.
What does your company or organization do better than others in your field? Which area inside of your organization is the strongest? What was the core strength your business was built around?
2. Focus on what is different about your business or organization.
What really sets your organization apart? If everyone in your industry offers the same service or product, why would a customer choose yours over another company?
3. Focus on the target group who will care about what you have to offer.
Sit down and write out the characteristics of your ideal customer or client. Where do they live; what are their interests and motivations?
Once you can answer these questions and know what your focus is, make sure that each part of your marketing message is targeted specifically to tell the story of what you do best and how you are different to the people who want to hear.
by Julie Martinez
After nearly a decade of roaming the world, Julie has returned to her native Kentucky. Julie is Executive Director of Circle of Hope International, which gives her an insider's understanding into the needs of socially active organizations.
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