Getting Found by the Right People

As the web has evolved, it's no longer an option. Any business wanting to "get found" needs a presence. Yet, many businesses struggle with getting found by the right people.

When businesses begin growing their presence on the web, the first people who find them are often solicitors. This isn't bad, unless it only reaches these people. So, don't worry when your first six months of web traffic includes many new solicitors. It comes with the territory.

So, how to you reach these "Right People" on the web?

You have to invest in understanding who the right people are for your business. This doesn't mean "anyone with a checkbook." This means the specific ideal audience you want to reach.

Often times, they will include a few different segments of people that usually fall into the categories below. 

1. Future Clients: Start with one core audience in this category and determine if it needs to grow to 2-3, but stay focused on as few as possible. It will be easy to "not rule anyone out", but it will also be ineffective. Remember that you're not limiting who you will do business with... you're focusing your marketing efforts.
2. Future Employees: Brands that "get it" focus more of their brand messaging on these people than ones that don't. This is your team of the future. I would encourage you to spend the same amount of time on them as you do on your future clients. 
3. Referral Partners: This group is the often the most overlooked. Yet, they can be as valuable as the others, depending on your type of business. Establish strategic relationships with people who serve the same clientele you serve. To do this, you need to discuss and document who these people are. And, don't overlook your current clients in this area. They may be your best source of referrals.

Before starting, determine how many of each you need within a certain timeline. Ask yourself "if we could line up X number of each at your doorstep, what would they look like?" If you need 100 new clients this year, what do they look like? Be specific.

When well-documented, this process helps you share information about your "right people." This could include age, sex, role in their business or household, the type of car they drove, and much more. 

For more on getting found by the right people, Writing for Your Target Audience or connect with me via email at jim@xxiibrands.com.