One of the ways to increase sales with your marketing is to offer services and products across different markets.
This can look tempting, however make the wrong choice and it can be confusing for your customers and harm your business.
This was highlighted last week when I saw a business that promoted specialisation in offering virtual assistance to businesses.
They now offer a service package called social media strategy.
If the business was offering assistance in setting up profiles and helping to manage them then it made sense. But to offer strategy development just confused me.
The once clear service offerings now became muddy.
To be successful there needs to be synergy between the products or services you are offering.
Think of hairdressing. They offer services in different market segments such as cutting and colouring. Within these segments they may compete with others that specialise but there is synergy between the two services for the business and customers.
Match up your services or products
If you find that some of your services or products are one offs or don’t match up, consider dropping them even if it takes time to phase them out. While you are doing this look at the markets you compete in and see what more optimal services or products you can offer.
Don’t be tempted into thinking variety is the spice of life. While it may appeal it doesn’t help grow your business. It may seem to you a good idea to showcase everything you could possible offer across markets, but it does water down your expertise.
Deepen your expertise
While you can increase your expertise it is far easier to deepen the level of what you offer. After all how long did it take to develop the skills and experience in your core areas and the markets you compete in effectively.
There are many businesses today that specialise, just think Facebook and Mari Smith is the one that stands out. Trying to compete with her regarding Facebook marketing as just one of the services you offer would be very tough.
Look at what you are offering and are there products or services that you want to offer that you need to develop more experience or skills. If there are then take the time to develop them before you offer them up to your customers.
As always, over to you to share your thoughts on this.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Niall Devitt and Sarah Mitchell, Susan Oakes. Susan Oakes said: Resist Marketing Temptation or Risk Confusing your Customers http://bit.ly/eApJwX [...]
Susan:
Well said. The very first blog post I ever wrote was entitled, “Should Snowplow Operators Handle Your Painting Projects?” It brings home your point that focus is good and clarity in your message is even better.
Rob
Rob Berman recently posted..Employee Engagement- A Real Life Example Leveraging SWOT Analysis
Hi Rob,
Like the title of that post and it is actually a shame that some businesses get sidetracked without thinking it through. Do you have a link to the post?
Susan:
Here is the post. http://www.rob-berman.com/should-snowplow-operators-handle-your-painting-projects/
Rob
Rob Berman recently posted..Employee Engagement- A Real Life Example Leveraging SWOT Analysis
Thanks for the link Rob.
Resist Marketing Temptation or Risk Confusing Your Customers…
One of the ways to increase sales with your marketing is to offer services and products across different markets. This can look tempting, however make the wrong choice and it can be confusing for your customers and harm your business. Here are 2 tips t…
Right on the mark once again Susan. You use the word “synergy”, I use the word “congruent” to mean the same thing. What you describe to me sounds like being a Jack of all trades and master of none. It is important to focus your offerings on congruent products/services that you can be the “expert” on. I remember Rob’s first post. It, too, was right on the mark
Julie Weishaar recently posted..Are You Using The Power of Video to Promote Your Brand
Julie:
Glad my first post was memorable.
Rob
Rob Berman recently posted..Employee Engagement- A Real Life Example Leveraging SWOT Analysis
Of course it was Rob
Hi Julie,
The funny thing was the business was very focussed before they started adding the service. You are right about Jack of all trades and perhaps it is the thinking if they focus somehow they could miss an opportunity, when the opposite is true. Rob’s article was very good.
This reminds me of a lesson an old teacher of mine instructed me with. He said “Don’t try to be good at everything. It rarely works out. Instead master one thing and then another”. He was right, and in terms of marketing this way is spot on.
Dennis Salvatier recently posted..3 Ways To Fight Fear
Hi Dennis,
I like the way your teacher expressed it especially the part about master one thing and then another. Great advice he gave.
I agree with Dennis! My dad was fond of saying that, and it’s served me well over the years. Plus, people are much more willing to listen to an authority or expert on a topic rather than someone who just happens to know a bit about it.
Delena
Delena Silverfox@Coupon Codes recently posted..Micfo
Hi Delena,
Parents are full of great wisdom and what your dad said is so true. My mum told me a little bit of knowledge can be very dangerous. I actually think she used to say it when I was a teenager and thought I knew everything
I’ve seen this problem with many small businesses. Just because there is a new market for your existing service or a new product for your existing market – doesn’t mean that you should embrace it without careful deliberation. There are hard costs and opportunity costs associated with entering either of the two areas and it takes time and focus away from what you are all ready good at to introduce and expand. It doesn’t matter how much you sell, it’s how much you bring home that really counts.
Peter Wyro recently posted..Social Media Talk for SMPS Oklahoma
Hi Peter,
I like your last sentence as that does sum it up very well. It does take careful deliberation and unfortunately many do not go through this and truly understand if the opportunity is worth pursuing. That said I have work in large companies that have made the same mistake.
Thanks for commenting.
There are hard costs and opportunity costs associated with entering either of the two areas and it takes time and focus away from what you are all ready good at to introduce and expand. It doesn’t matter how much you sell, it’s how much you bring home that really counts.An online business is the most efficient, inexpensive, most potentially rewarding way to generate cash flow, establish a business, or just get some extra income. But it still requires a little work.
Hi Isabella,
You are right about the costs. It doesn’t mean you can’t expand but you do need to think through all issues. Online business is proving to be an opportunity however I am not sure it is the most efficient. It depends on the market you want to enter, the competition and consumer needs, which are the same factors for an offline business.
Thanks for your comment.