Samantha is a young entrepreneur trying to find her way in the business world with her tech startup. Brilliant, passionate and new to becoming an entrepreneur.
She has spent two years developing her software BUT not two minutes thinking who her ideal customers will be. She always thought she’d think about marketing later- as an afterthought.
I had to break the news to her that she can’t sell everyone and needed to focus on how her app will fix a pain point for prospects she will serve. Let’s pick an industry, a segment or a niche- just not everyone who is online.
“I never gave much thought to who I’m building this tech for- I just figured I’d market the hell out of it to attract customers. I thought marketing came second after the product was developed.”
Ouch
Marketing is about serving a narrow and specific audience with products and services. If you add marketing at the end, you will fail.
People buy products and services that help them solve problems or challenges. They also buy to signal to the world, who they are and what they value.
If your mindset is – if I build it they will come, you are living in a world that doesn’t exist. Products and services must be helpful to allow customers and clients to achieve their goals. Marketing is not an afterthought.
You can’t sprinkle fairy dust on your widget and expect miracles. The days of mass advertising are over.
Samantha and I are studying potential communities to serve and reengineering her business. She is back on a path to success because she has identified who she can serve, and now, is examining if her solution fixes their specific pain point. She may need to adapt her software to fit a need.
Marketing should be like a painkiller, not a vitamin. And marketing comes first.
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I’m the Chief Listening Officer at The Marketing Sage. Need a coach, let’s chat. 919 720 0995 or jeffslater@themarketingsage.com
