Marketing to humans

Most small businesses market using facts: “We offer X product and Y service.” You know what you have and you want to see it sold. But that kind of marketing leaves out one key participant: your customer.

Think about famous ad campaigns and how they communicate. Nike doesn’t rattle off facts and features about their sportswear; they show inspiring images of customers using their products with a catchy “Just do it.” Coca-Cola doesn’t remind you that they sell a caffeinated, carbonated beverage; they show the happiness of people sharing a favourite drink.

These images and slogans show potential customers what it would be like if they drank a Coke or slapped on a pair of Nike shoes. The customers can picture themselves using the products and understand how their lives would be improved.

These may be high-budget, extreme examples, but the lessons still hold true for small business marketing.

Rather than marketing from your perspective, consider marketing from your customer’s perspective. What will they get out of buying your product or service?

The power of emotion

Humans are driven by emotion; we remember feelings far better than facts. As you communicate your services and story, be like Coca-Cola and Nike – make sure you always circle back to the emotion at the core of your work.

What is the ONE thing you want your customers to feel when experiencing your work?

What are some ways you can include that emotion in your marketing?

Think about imagery, language, and other ways you can bring that emotion to life.

How would you describe your products or services from the customer’s point of view? How would they tell a friend about your offerings?

Remember, selling from your customer’s perspective will set you apart and help potential customers picture themselves buying from you!

Finding your niche

Now it’s time to take your work to the masses. You’ll need to match the services you offer with the people you’re trying to reach. Some matches are obvious, some aren’t.

What is the single most obvious use for your products or services?

There will be room for more later!

Now let’s think outside the box. What are some other ways your products or services could be used? Maybe there are some underserved groups in your niche that don’t know they need you (yet!).

Example 1: Personal stylist for women

The obvious choice would be to market to ladies who need help with their wardrobes, but then you’ll be just another stylist among many. You could also explore other groups who don’t know they need help with their styling:

• Academic speakers travel frequently from presentation to presentation and may not have the time or expertise to put together a modern, professional wardrobe. You could reach this group through academic networking groups and informal lunch and learn presentations.
• Transgender women transitioning to ladies’ clothing for the first time may feel uncomfortable finding both professional and casual styles that suit them. You could reach this group through social groups, word of mouth, or by reaching out to counsellors and other service providers that specialize in this field.

Example 2: Board game retail

The obvious choice is to sell games to game aficionados. But you could also take the opposite approach: market your products to non-gamers looking for more face-to-face social interaction and less time in front of digital screens. You could find great cross-promotion opportunities with bars and other party venues, homeschool groups, hospitals and therapy groups, organizations that teach English as a second language, and more.

Example 3: Catering

Many catering companies try marketing to customers first, but that can be an inconsistent source of revenue. Think about how your customers order from you – are they getting special food for a special event at a special location? Rather than marketing only to potential customers, consider reaching out to those locations. Venues often have a list of trusted or preferred caterers that they offer to clients – ask them how to get on that list!

Example 4: Handmade crafts

Farmers’ markets and craft fairs are the typical places to sell handmade goods, but they can be tiring and expensive. If you live in an area with a lot of tourism, reach out to souvenir shops, tourist information centres, local attractions, and other places tourists visit to see if anyone would be willing to carry your locally-made products.

What are creative, unique ways your products or services could be used?

Identifying your audience

Let’s learn more about your audience. The more you can identify about them, the easier it will be to connect.

How old are they? Where do they live? What is their gender?

What kind of music do they like? Which movies?

Do they have kids? Pets? Others in their households?

Where do they hear about products like yours? What sources of information do they trust?

If they spend their days on social media, that will be an important place for you to engage them. But if they place greater trust in word-of-mouth and print communications, you’ll need to focus more on the human touch.

What else do you know about them?

Tying it all together

You now have the basic building blocks of your marketing plan:

• The emotion at the core of your work
• Your target niche
• Your target audience

Use this information to focus your marketing and paint a clear picture of your work to potential customers.

For more information about positioning your brand and marketing to customers, we recommend:

• Small Business Marketing from The Balance: Small Business
• Marketing Basics from Information, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Create Your Marketing Strategy from Info Entrepreneurs
• 10 Marketing Strategies to Fuel Your Business Growth from Entrepreneur
• Book - This I Know: Marketing Lessons from Under the Influence, by Terry O’Reilly
• Book - Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications, by Sarah Durham

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