Marketing Expert: Lori Lyons
Every morning and evening I feed the wild cats that hang out in our neighborhood.
This is payback to them for keeping our chipmunk population under control! But I’ve noticed something interesting… once the cats have finished eating, blue jays and little brown sparrows will come and nibble at the food. The blue jays will actually “yell” at me if there isn’t enough left for them! Then, after the night feeding, a mother raccoon and her babies (yes – they are very cute!) will come and finish up what’s left.
“I give them the right message – the food – but other animals besides the cats love cat food kibble.”
Now.. what in the world does feeding my wild cats have to do with marketing? It’s a perfect example of the Three R’s of Marketing: Right Audience, Right Message and Right Time.
You see – I feed my cats but I also attract the birds and raccoons, my unintended market. I give them the right message – the food – but other animals besides the cats love cat food kibble. And finally, by consistently feeding them twice a day, the birds and raccoons know they will get treats on a regular basis. Just like our marketing strategy!
The Right Audience:
Every piece of marketing we produce should be directed towards our ideal client. To do that, we need to know all about who they are, what they think, and who they hang out with. Nothing new here – right?
Most business owners, when they describe their ideal clients, use demographics to describe them. Demographics are quantifiable or verifiable characteristics such as age, race, sex, location, job type, income, etc. “I work with women ages 50-55 to help them lose the 10+ pounds of post-menopausal weight many of us gain.” That’s pretty quantifiable and specific and easy to track.
What can really differentiate us is how we identify our ideal clients’ psychographics. Psychographics are the intrinsics, the feelings, the emotions, attitudes, and aspirations of our future clients. If I’m looking to find where my ideal client hangs out, and I know my client is spiritual, I may look for women’s business groups at places of worship.
“All of the answers to these questions will give you a clue as to where to find your ideal client.”
If I know they have a soft spot for animals, I may look for pet rescue organizations. What do they read? Where do their kids go to school? Do they homeschool? All of the answers to these questions will give you a clue as to where to find your ideal client.
The Right Message:
The second R of marketing is the Right Message. My cat food was the message and it attracted more than just cats! Birds and raccoons “ate” my message as did other creatures that enjoyed cat kibble. Did I turn them away because they weren’t cats?
Messaging today is so important and has actually changed in the past few years. While we used to give our bios and credentials to our prospective clients, now we only talk about recognizing their problems and how we solve those problems. We don’t try to impress with industry jargon. We speak in their language, language they understand.
One of my favorite examples is using the word “subluxation.” Over the years I’ve worked with several chiropractors or been in organizations with chiropractors. They love using the word “subluxation!” It sounds very impressive and it sounds knowledgeable. But most prospective patients don’t know what this means! They just know their back hurts or their hips hurt or their neck hurts!
It became so much easier for my chiropractic clients to get patients when they spoke to them in their language. “Does your back pain keep you from getting a good night’s sleep?” “Are you frustrated because you can’t play with your grandchildren because your neck bothers you?” These are problems their clients can relate to because they identify the problem and now the chiropractor has the solution.
“Committing to a way of communicating to your ideal client on a consistent basis is key.”
The Right Time:
Finally, the last R is the Right Time. By being consistent, my cats know they are going to be fed twice a day. They are on my deck morning and evening waiting for their food and quite vocal if I’m a bit late! But I’m consistent.
This is the same with our marketing. Committing to a way of communicating to your ideal client on a consistent basis is key. I have clients that post YouTube videos twice a week – at the same time each day. Podcasts that are consistent in dropping episodes at the same time every day, week or month have loyal followers that listen in and download. Posting your blog or doing Facebook lives at a consistent time gives you an advantage over those that aren’t consistent.
Another way to have “right time” marketing is to talk to your clients in real time. Many business owners are taking advantage of the AI technology that is available to them at a very reasonable cost. Being able to identify what your ideal client is looking for – in real time – is exciting and can set you apart!
Show Your Expertise With Audience, Message And Time:
On your website, you can place a “bot” and ask visitors to your site just what they are looking for. By answering their questions with answers in the “now” you are not only showing your expertise but your use of technology will allow you to answer their questions quickly.
The three R’s of marketing are really very simple but very important. So now think about how you are using these R’s in your marketing strategy for YOUR business!
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About the Author:
Lori is America’s Midlife Marketing Maven helping GenXBoomers take the frustration and mystery out of marketing their businesses. She owns a digital marketing agency,and specializes in website design, branding and marketing strategy. She loves teaching Encore Entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses so they can concentrate on following THEIR passions and THEIR clients. Lori thinks there is nothing better than seeing someone’s eyes light up when they “get it” and then they take it and make money, easily and simply and without the stress they had before.
Lori will be launching her podcast, The Encore Entrepreneur Podcast this summer where she will be interviewing entrepreneurs and talking about how they market their businesses and the tools and techniques they use. She lives in Atlanta with her husband of almost 30 years and helps her 22 year old entrepreneur son with his marketing. She is a sports fanatic and loves her Atlanta Braves baseball!
