Save Time with A Focused Marketing Position
Mon, Feb 16, 2015
Trying to be all things to all people is a massive time waster and a surefire strategy for mediocre results. Don’t believe me? Consider this example…
Bodybuilding for Agents
Imagine you’re a body builder, and you have a competition coming up called the Biggest Arms in Town…but you only have five hours each week to work out. You have two options for how to prepare. In the first, you spend those five weekly hours solely focusing on your arms. You target your biceps and triceps and shoulders exclusively, doing only the exercises that strengthen and tone them.
In the second option, you use those five hours each week on full-body workouts. You incorporate exercises to strengthen your quads, abs, calves, back, hamstrings, and glutes in addition to your arms.
In which situation would you perform better at the Biggest Arms in Town competition?
In this example, it’s clear to see why narrowly focusing on one area will help you to achieve your goal. With the limited resource of time, you must zero in on the exact group you need to reach, and focus on that group exclusively. So why do so many agents dilute their messages by focusing on too large an audience?
Why a Vague USP Hurts More than Helps
Many agents choose to keep their USPs vague because they don’t want to turn any potential business away. They try to appeal to anyone and everyone in the hopes of attracting someone who is looking to buy or sell a home. They use phrases like “List with Me” and “I Care About Your Business” — vague, meaningless terms that don’t really mean anything.
The problem with this strategy is that when you try to be everything to everyone, you fail to address the specific needs of anyone. If you don’t get specific about who you’re targeting, the responses you get may be from prospects completely outside your wheelhouse. You will exert massive energy trying to perform for them, when your time would be much better served in a population that matches your strengths.
When you fail to target your ads to the specific audience you want to attract, you won’t build the strong, thriving customer network that you want. Instead, you’ll see mediocre results (at best) from mediocre buyers. And who has time for mediocre?
Getting Specific with Your USP
A focused USP means you are getting the right prospects, which means less wasted time chasing impossible sales. Ask yourself: are you after buyers or sellers? Are you looking for first-time buyers? Move-up buyers? Luxury buyers? Under $150,000 buyers? What geographic areas are you interested in? How can you speak to these people, and these people alone? Craft your USP with these ideas in mind.
Remember, you don’t have to target only one group at a time. But — and this is a big but — you do have to target only one group with each ad. By targeting a specific segment of your prospects, you focus both your thinking and your marketing dollars. Decide what percentage of your marketing dollars will be funnelled to each group you’re targeting. If situations change during the year, you can respond with confidence and a calculated strategy, knowing how each piece of the puzzle fits together.
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