How to find the raw materials for your ‘marketing machine’ – to realise your full business potential o in ne’

ByDavidF aank

Mininginingi theth treasure you’re sitting on – to draw your ideal target clients

As I said in my first article find that missing ‘connection’ – to release the potential of your engineering or technical company, most websites and brochures tend to be ‘self-focused’ and not very client-friendly or engaging. Though your clients come into your world, they also have their own world with interests, motivations, and aspirations beyond technical issues.

Let’s zoom in on them

Your best clients are probably the ones who most value what you do – and are happy to pay for it and refer others to you… the ones who take up minimal time and bring on-going business… the profitable ones… your real target market.

Let’s focus on them and let go of the ‘tyre-kickers’, ‘difficult’ types, complainers, time-consumers, or those better served elsewhere.

See what they really want

Let’s go to the horse’s mouth and find out their true ‘hot buttons’ – needs, interests, problems, fears, pains, questions, and less obvious motivation factors.

Discussion forums or social media may tell us so much, but ultimately ‘deeper’ interviewing can get to the ‘good oil’. This is best done by an objective outsider so the client can speak freely rather than saying what the business owner wants to hear.

Uncovering the raw treasure for your marketing machine

Having discovered the hot buttons of your ideal clients, let’s look at what you’ve got to satisfy them… • What are the most valuable and unique benefits you offer their business or life, your key selling points, and your real forte that sets you apart? It’s not easy to formulate your unique selling proposition (USP), let alone express it concisely, but outside help can distil it. Short punchy taglines like PlaceMaker’s “Know how can do” are effective. • Consider anything outside the square that you know or do – that’s ‘provocative’, bold, or goes against the grain of the industry. This can be an asset to stand you out of the crowd – if it’s relevant and beneficial to your target market. • Are there areas of your know-how that could be published to draw people to your business, like Spark’s “techinasec” technology tips or Mitre 10’s ‘Easy As’ DIY guides. Special expertise may even be sellable as an e-book or coaching. • Create a free offer such as a product trial, consultation, or ‘how

to’ resource to entice your target audience to contact you. • Happy clients can be interviewed (best by a third party) to yield testimonials and case studies, strategically written to highlight your selling points while building trust. • It’s easy for businesses to say they’re “leading”, “professional”, “reliable”, “superior”, or “top quality”, but this doesn’t cut much ice unless it can be demonstrated. A quantifiable performance record and ‘credentials’ go a long way to prove you – awards, reputable business partners or clients, qualifications, experience, guarantees, and industry association memberships. • If you offer any community or charity support, this helps build

trust in your business ethos (not just in it for the money). • Are there any other points of connection with your target market beyond engineering, e.g. common interests like fishing or golf? Mentioning these in your ‘about us’ story will ‘strike a chord’ and build rapport.

Now let’s capitalise on it

Now that we have the raw material ‘treasure’, next month’s article goes into…

How to get your ‘marketing machine’ performing – presenting your hidden treasure through your marketing channels

(Advance your business through your brochures, website, blog, ads, white papers, proposals, videos, and social media).