| The Power of Possibilities | | | | |
| | | | "How do I change my marketing materials to |
| | | | sell to people I may never meet?" |
| | | | |
| Did you know the one thing that holds most | | | | "How well do I work with technology? What do |
| people back is the simple fact that they | | | | I need to learn?" |
| think too small? What separates the average | | | | |
| business owner from the super successful | | | | These questions will allow you to think |
| isn't her timing or her resources. It's her | | | | beyond your local area, and start discovering |
| ability to think bigger than others, and take | | | | ways of doing what you do anywhere in the |
| action on the things that will create the | | | | world. People all over the country are |
| biggest successes. | | | | looking for the services and products you |
| | | | sell. You just need the tools to get your |
| Take for instance the typical small business | | | | information in front of them. |
| owner in your area. Go into any local shop | | | | |
| and ask them how many customers they have | | | | When you expand your target market beyond |
| from out of state. Chances are it's a very | | | | your local area, and go worldwide, you also |
| small percentage of their business. Yet with | | | | add another dilemma to your planning process: |
| the power of the Internet, any local business | | | | |
| - selling products or services - can change | | | | "How do I market to the thousands of people |
| her business model from being a small local | | | | added to my new target list?" |
| provider, to a small business with huge | | | | |
| profits and paying clients around the world. | | | | When you decide to take your business to a |
| | | | much larger market, it's imperative that you |
| And it's easier than you think. I know; I've | | | | focus on who your exact customer is. As a |
| done it myself. | | | | small business, you can't afford to market to |
| | | | the world. Defining who your perfect customer |
| I was one of those pioneers. I purchased my | | | | is becomes crucial. And knowing how to reach |
| first computer in the 1980's. Remember | | | | them becomes vital. |
| Prodigy? I dialed in almost every day. So | | | | |
| when the Internet began coming on strong in | | | | Your customer can no longer be defined by |
| the early 1990's, I jumped in with both feet, | | | | simple phrases, such as: |
| and brought our business online. | | | | |
| | | | - Single female between 25-50 years old. |
| What I found was an incredible opportunity. | | | | |
| | | | - Married female with children under 18. |
| I started out as a small business owner, | | | | |
| operating a photography studio, and servicing | | | | Instead you have to get into the mind of your |
| people within my local area. It was a | | | | client, and define them as precisely as |
| traditional studio, offering the standard | | | | possible. Start with the simple phrases. Then |
| portrait and wedding services. With two | | | | add in the detail. The more you know what |
| people, we opened a commercial location, and | | | | interests your customer, the easier it is to |
| began contacting people within a 10-mile | | | | reach them. Consider a customer definition |
| radius. But I knew there had to be a better | | | | such as: |
| way. And I found it on the Internet. | | | | |
| | | | - Single female between 25-40 years old. |
| Thanks to a powerful online marketing | | | | Enjoys traveling, and prefers to take short, |
| strategy, we found success quickly. Within 3 | | | | exotic vacations 2-4 times per year to places |
| years, we shut down our traditional studio, | | | | such as the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and |
| and began operating a virtual studio online. | | | | the Fiji Islands. Holds an executive position |
| Our clients changed from people in our local | | | | in the corporate environment, or owns the |
| area looking for traditional portraiture, to | | | | company. Spends 2-3 weeks per month traveling |
| people all over the world falling in love | | | | for business, and holds tens of thousands of |
| with our virtual wedding studio, and flying | | | | frequent flier miles. |
| us in to their location. | | | | |
| | | | Using the above customer description, I can |
| No longer were we stuck selling to the people | | | | begin finding many ways of targeting this |
| that resided in our local community. We | | | | customer. I can consider building up referral |
| established an extreme niche market, and went | | | | partners with travel websites that cater to |
| to where our clients were. We raised our | | | | young singles flying into exotic locations |
| prices substantially, and began living the | | | | for short trips. I can find networking groups |
| life others only dream about. By changing the | | | | that cater to small business owners, or buy |
| way we thought about business, we changed the | | | | lead lists or place ads in magazines such as |
| way we looked for clients. And our profits | | | | Inc. or Entrepreneur magazine. I can consider |
| followed. | | | | creating a relationship with airline magazine |
| | | | editors, and advertise or get an article |
| You too have that power. By changing the way | | | | placed as frequently as possible. |
| you think, you can change the way your | | | | |
| business operates. The possibilities are out | | | | Obviously, I could continue with many more |
| there. But thinking differently can sometimes | | | | ideas. But you get the point. The more |
| be difficult. It involves stretching out of | | | | details I can use to define my perfect |
| your comfort zone. It involves creating | | | | customer, the easier it is to determine |
| changes in your business planning. And | | | | methods to reach them. |
| sometimes these changes can be difficult. | | | | |
| | | | By changing the way you market yourself, you |
| Start by asking yourself some basic | | | | can expand your business in ways that will |
| questions. | | | | take your business to new heights. |
| | | | |
| "How can I take what I do now, and sell it to | | | | Open up your mind to the possibilities. You |
| people 1000 miles from me?" | | | | might be surprised at what awaits you. |