| 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 I |
| people back is the simple fact that they think too | | | | need to learn?" |
| small? What separates the average business | | | | These questions will allow you to think beyond |
| owner from the super successful isn't her timing | | | | your local area, and start discovering ways of |
| or her resources. It's her ability to think bigger | | | | doing what you do anywhere in the world. People |
| than others, and take action on the things that will | | | | all over the country are looking for the services |
| create the biggest successes. | | | | and products you sell. You just need the tools to |
| Take for instance the typical small business owner | | | | get your information in front of them. |
| in your area. Go into any local shop and ask them | | | | When you expand your target market beyond |
| how many customers they have from out of | | | | your local area, and go worldwide, you also add |
| state. Chances are it's a very small percentage of | | | | another dilemma to your planning process: |
| their business. Yet with the power of the | | | | "How do I market to the thousands of people |
| Internet, any local business - selling products or | | | | added to my new target list?" |
| services - can change her business model from | | | | When you decide to take your business to a |
| being a small local provider, to a small business | | | | much larger market, it's imperative that you focus |
| with huge profits and paying clients around the | | | | on who your exact customer is. As a small |
| world. | | | | business, you can't afford to market to the world. |
| And it's easier than you think. I know; I've done it | | | | Defining who your perfect customer is becomes |
| myself. | | | | crucial. And knowing how to reach them becomes |
| I was one of those pioneers. I purchased my first | | | | vital. |
| computer in the 1980's. Remember Prodigy? I | | | | Your customer can no longer be defined by |
| dialed in almost every day. So when the Internet | | | | simple phrases, such as: |
| began coming on strong in the early 1990's, I | | | | - Single female between 25-50 years old. |
| jumped in with both feet, and brought our | | | | - Married female with children under 18. |
| business online. | | | | Instead you have to get into the mind of your |
| What I found was an incredible opportunity. | | | | client, and define them as precisely as possible. |
| I started out as a small business owner, operating | | | | Start with the simple phrases. Then add in the |
| a photography studio, and servicing people within | | | | detail. The more you know what interests your |
| my local area. It was a traditional studio, offering | | | | customer, the easier it is to reach them. Consider |
| the standard portrait and wedding services. With | | | | a customer definition such as: |
| two people, we opened a commercial location, and | | | | - Single female between 25-40 years old. Enjoys |
| began contacting people within a 10-mile radius. | | | | traveling, and prefers to take short, exotic |
| But I knew there had to be a better way. And I | | | | vacations 2-4 times per year to places such as |
| found it on the Internet. | | | | the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and the Fiji |
| Thanks to a powerful online marketing strategy, | | | | Islands. Holds an executive position in the |
| we found success quickly. Within 3 years, we shut | | | | corporate environment, or owns the company. |
| down our traditional studio, and began operating a | | | | Spends 2-3 weeks per month traveling for |
| virtual studio online. Our clients changed from | | | | business, and holds tens of thousands of frequent |
| people in our local area looking for traditional | | | | flier miles. |
| portraiture, to people all over the world falling in | | | | Using the above customer description, I can begin |
| love with our virtual wedding studio, and flying us | | | | finding many ways of targeting this customer. I |
| in to their location. | | | | can consider building up referral partners with |
| No longer were we stuck selling to the people | | | | travel websites that cater to young singles flying |
| that resided in our local community. We | | | | into exotic locations for short trips. I can find |
| established an extreme niche market, and went | | | | networking groups that cater to small business |
| to where our clients were. We raised our prices | | | | owners, or buy lead lists or place ads in |
| substantially, and began living the life others only | | | | magazines such as Inc. or Entrepreneur magazine. |
| dream about. By changing the way we thought | | | | I can consider creating a relationship with airline |
| about business, we changed the way we looked | | | | magazine editors, and advertise or get an article |
| for clients. And our profits followed. | | | | placed as frequently as possible. |
| You too have that power. By changing the way | | | | Obviously, I could continue with many more ideas. |
| you think, you can change the way your business | | | | But you get the point. The more details I can use |
| operates. The possibilities are out there. But | | | | to define my perfect customer, the easier it is to |
| thinking differently can sometimes be difficult. It | | | | determine methods to reach them. |
| involves stretching out of your comfort zone. It | | | | By changing the way you market yourself, you |
| involves creating changes in your business planning. | | | | can expand your business in ways that will take |
| And sometimes these changes can be difficult. | | | | your business to new heights. |
| Start by asking yourself some basic questions. | | | | Open up your mind to the possibilities. You might |
| "How can I take what I do now, and sell it to | | | | be surprised at what awaits you. |
| people 1000 miles from me?" | | | | |