I wrote an article about Positioning In The Long Tail over at the AscendWorks blog. Let me elaborate a bit more about what it means to swim upstream and make money in today’s business environment.
Focus On Value For A MicroMarket
Playing the game of winning a popularity contest is very difficult. First of all, number one and two in a market matter. Everyone else gets the crumbs.
If you are going to get the crumbs, then make them expensive crumbs. Enjoy the few and ask yourself a question which matters, “How do I make myself worth a high dollar transaction?” It’s a key question. Most people are asking very unfocused questions like, “How do I get a lot of followers?” or “How do I make a sale?” These are disconnected in nature. The first question has to start with your value. What is it about you and your offering which would allow you to be worth a lot?
If you cannot answer this question first, then your other efforts become desperate and without an anchor. We can’t cheat in this economy. There are too many choices. One mouse click or search reveals a lot of options. Much of my time is spent helping customers focus on Step 1. Everyone loves Step 5 – getting the sale. There’s a lot of things that have to line up before this and the winners have done the hard work and due diligence of creating the process for people to say, “Yes,” to high perceived value.
Pick A Number
There is a finite number in the next year of people that can and will say, “Yes.” Don’t get distracted by anyone else. The hype of being social or pushing out content only matters for your micromarket of people that matter. This is who you build your systems and your content for. It has to be laser focused and high value. They need to get you and want you.
Get concrete about the number that matter. A yearly number or 50 turns into a monthly number of 4. A monthly number of 4 requires a process to engage 1 new customer a week. Who is that customer? Create the value which connects with that one customer every week. This is the work of the long tail. It is about high value for the people that matter. It is boutique rather than generic. You must increase and deliver value which is different than the mass market.
The Influentials
In your micromarket, the people that matter are the few. They tend to be the influentials. They tell the other people around them what to buy and what to think. Not everyone is equal. Your energy and value should be shared with those that influence and care. It is the kindling in a fire.
Micromarkets work with you connecting with the people that matter with high value. They get you and want you. They don’t need you. They want you, though.
Micromarkets Are Increasing
Differentiating and increasing value are necessary in the new economy. Everyone has access to the same tools you do. Putting together the right positioning and offering will determine whether you starve or succeed. Create your own space. Be number one in it by defining the rules of your micromarket and connect with only those that matter. There isn’t much choice otherwise today.
What has been your experience with the changes in your market?
