What Is Your Lure, Bait and Gear? An exercise to define

By:Catherine Franz

Fly fishing -- it doesn't work, does it? When I first
watched someone fly-fishing, I saw them release the line
that went out far in the water. No sooner had the fly hit
the water it was being jerked back and reeled in. Even
today, I still don't understand how this method catches any
fish. Yet it does, so I am told. See, I have never been
fly-fishing.
It looks like so much more work too. I'm used to the worm,
bobber, sitting on a short foldable chair, having some great
conversation ever once in a while, sipping on a beer (okay
root beer so we don't X factor this article), relaxing and
waiting for the nibble. Or, is it praying for that nibble.
Okay, either one.
If you talk to a fly-fisherman, he says his method is the
best. And the same is uttered from a by-the-seat-of-the-
pants fisherman as well (cute description huh, I thought so
too).
What makes the difference than? Is it technique? Is it the
water type -- salt or fresh? Is it the type of fish you are
going after? Is it the equipment or supplies? Is it the
bait offered?
Okay, back to the first question -- what is the difference?
The right answer is "all of the above." You can also throw
in the temperature, weather and time of day you are fishing
as well. The right answer still is, "all of the above."
And it all depends on the right combination of all these
items performed in a step-by-order method too. You don't
want to toss out the fly without the line. Well, I guess
you can but the chances of seeing that fly again is next to
nil for sure.
Marketing is not any different from fishing. If you are
tossing out the wrong hook to the right fish, they are not
going to bite. If you have the right fish and hook, and the
wrong technique -- fly-fishing instead of butt, wait and
pray fishing. This too will not get many results.
This is why so much emphasis is placed on your needing to
know your target market. Because if you don't you are
forever going to be trying what different lures, hooks and
techniques that wear you down as well as your resources
trying to figure out what is the right combination. You
can't catch flounder in a fresh water or blue gill in salt
water.
Many times, and without knowing it because you are just glad
for the business, the fish pick you. So, what are you
attracting? Let’s take 15 minutes today and begin an
exercise that answers that question.
Okay, where were we. Getting late in the day. Oh, yes,
what are you attracting? Since I write mostly for service
professionals, let me present the "how-tos" for you. If you
own a retail store or have a much larger client base, you
can do the same by calculating just the top "A" list by
revenue generated.
I recommend starting this process by hand to get the "feel"
of it and then you can move it over to Excel or a similar
software as it grows. Yes, you have my permission to allow
this fish to get bigger in this "fish tale."
On a new sheet of paper, turned sideways or landscaped, in
the far left hand side create the first column. Now write
down the first name of you client (or last name or both).
If you don't remember their name and you had given them a
nickname, use that. It doesn't matter as long as you know
who they are.
In the second column, title it "M/F." You guessed it, "male
or female." I knew I didn't have a "dah" market reading
this. Now, go down the column and write in the answers next
to each name.
Next column, title "M/S/D/U" = married, single, divorced,
unknown. Go down the column and complete again.
Remember, before you move onto a new column you want to
complete the previous column as much as possible -- there is
a subconscious reason for this I don't want to go off topic
to explain, so I'm asking you just trust me on this.
Please.
Here is a list of other demographic type of information you
want to continue in this same format: Age, time zone,
number of children (if any), how long a client, marketing
resource (how did they find you or you them), fee, and
service type.
As you continue to go through and complete each column you
will begin to see some patterns on the type of client you
are attraction as well as how they became your client (the
source).
Continue with this project by adding more distinctions over
the next week. As you complete each column, another
important fact will emerge for you that you will want to
review. If you are missing some information, you might want
to pick up the phone and call that past client and ask – a
great reason to get back in touch with them and renew your
name in their mind.
When you begin seeing the patterns emerge, like you work
mainly with 90% males, or everyone lives in a certain area,
or all are divorced, etc. Some of these patterns are going
to be obvious and some aren't. This is why this exercise is
good to complete at least once a year. I do this even
though I now have software that does it for me. There is
nothing like ink and paper to open my outside-the-box
thinking that doesn't emerge when reviewing a printed
report.
When you get to a slowing down place, pull out the
description again of your ideal client. Now, see the
averages for this measurement chart in comparison to your
ideal client. How is it different? Were there any ideal
clients on the list -- put a star next to them or highlight
them?
Is there a gap between the two? Can you see what the gap
is? Is it obvious? Do you need to build a bridge of things
to evolve with that moves from the island to the mainland?
If yes, what is it?
Okay, you've got your work cut out for yourself. I agree.
Then again, this exercise is the top one I recommend to all
my clients, workshop participants, and teleclass attendees.
I have even had seasoned professionals resist completing the
exercise because they felt they knew everything there was to
know on this already. If you feel this same way, it’s okay.
Let it evolve and see if something grows.
Much to their surprise after they completed the exercise.
In fact, Jim, an insurance agent from Arizona wrote me an e-
mail after a recent teleclass that did the assignment, yes,
with that same reluctance, saying,
"Damn, Catherine, you're good. The exercise eat at me until
this morning when I gave in and did the exercise even though
last night I convinced myself that I already knew all the
answers. I discovered way too many holes in our marketing.
My whole staff is excited. After I introduced it to them in
this morning’s staff meeting, we had to cut the meeting
short because everyone couldn't wait to get back to their
office and do the exercise."
(c) Copyright 2003, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About Author: Catherine Franz is a marketing industry
veteran, a Certified Business Coach, Certified Teleclass
Leader and Trainer, speaker, author, and Master Attraction
Practitioner. For daily, weekly, and monthly
marketing,nonfiction writing and deliberately creating
ezines and other newsletters, visit:
http://www.AbundanceCenter.com,
mailto:catherine@abundancecenter.com or 703-671-5677.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Top Computers Articles
1). The danger behind peer-to-peer file sharing By : Migz Mon File sharing is very common nowadays. You can get a P2P (peer-to-peer) program for free, and soon start sharing stuff like music, videos and programs. We use these applications freely and most of us don’t know the risks involved when using them. Questionable reliability of files – Once we get our hands on a P2P program, we download everything we want like crazy.
2). How To Install And Setup Noah's Classifieds By : Bedrich Omacka In this article I will explain the basic Noah's Classifieds features, show you how to install this script and how to setup it to run properly.
3). Pisa - The city of the Leaning Tower By : Jakob Jelling Although it is world wide famous due to its Leaning Tower, the city of Pisa also has many other great attractions and amazing characteristics to of
4). Is The Internet Censored? By : J Schipper When most people think about Internet censorship, the usual suspects immediately come to mind : Communist China and repressive Islamic countries. Unfortunately, Westerners have an embarrassment all their own : Australia's net censorship law, established in 2000. Freedom House, a non-profit U.S. organization dedicated to spreading human rights and freedom, undertakes regular surveys on press freedom and censorship.
5). Toshiba Libertto U100, smaller yet better than you might imagine! By : john Have you ever wondered how small a laptop can be? Well, utilizing today’s technology Toshiba does a perfect job at demonstrating it; the Libertto U100 is one of the very few laptops that have such a rich feature set fitted altogether within such a small space. Of course, if you believe that a fingerprint authentication system is too much for such a.
6). Does CCTV Really Reduce Crime? By : Robert Michael In the UK, home of twenty percent of the world's CCTV cameras, there is mounting concern about its invasion and lack of regulation. "UK Public CCTV Surveillance Regulation Campaign." The thought-provoking questions they ask are good ones. They want to know, for instance, why, if television programming and licensing is so heavily regulated in the UK.
7). Why Are People Cheesed Off With The Internet? By : Gary Simpson Having been connected to the "net" now for about eight years I can't help but notice the amount of deception that goes on. And it seems to be getting
8). Preparation Tips For Comptia A+ Certification By : The Industry Standard CompTIA A Plus Certification exam has two parts; approximately 80 questions for each part. * Core Hardware: $153 - min. passing score 515 * Operating Systems Technology: $153 - min. passing score 505 (CompTIA corporate members can take the exams for $98, employers that require this test are usually corporate members and will inform you of this.
9). Can Cell Phones Harm Your Health? By : D Ruplinger It seems like everywhere a person goes there is at least one person in view with a cell phone to their ear whether it is on the road, in a store, in a parking lot, walking down the street, etc. Even in places where cell phone usage is banned such as concert halls or movie theaters there is the occasional offender, or more likely, at least a few people using the text messaging feature on their phone.
10). RAM and Latency... what you need to know By : Nicholas Spriggs RAM latency is one of the most overlooked methods of optimizing your computer. Find out exactly how you can tweak your memory timings in order to make your system run quicker.

New Computers Articles
1). Why More People Today Are Turning To Notebooks For Their Computer Needs By : Gregg Hall The computer used to take up a whole room, and now all you need is a little notebook. Gone are the days of needing a desktop. The notebook now makes the desktop computer look big and bulky.
2). The Podcast for This American Life By : Andrew Manifield The podcast for This American Life allows listeners to download the shows and listen to them at their discretion.
3). Is That On-Sale Printer Really a Bargain? By : Ray La Foy he problem for many, however, is the fact that the printer itself can be found, but replacement ink cannot.
4). Finding Podcast Hosting By : Andrew Manifield For anyone who wants to begin creating a podcast, podcast hosting is the most important part.
5). If You Want Flexibility And Portability Consider A Laptop By : Gregg Hall If you are one of those who works with a computer on a daily basis like me you should consider a laptop. I have actually owned three now and I think I would be lost without mine. I still use my desktop PC quite a bit at home but the laptop comes in extremely handy when I am away.
6). Types of Music Podcasts By : Andrew Manifield Many music podcasts are available online, distributed by podcasters who want to share their collection with the world.
7). Becoming A DVD Repair Expert Online By : Maxine Schel Many conventional colleges and universities are now offering online DVD repair courses, which are the exact same as those taught on a traditional college campus, to distance learners. Online education is generally taught through the use of several different methods, including online satellite feeds, correspondence or online lessons. This technique permits the student to obtain a DVD repair degree without ever having to step inside of a classroom.
8). Compatible Inkjet Cartridge By : Isabel Rodrigues Once the printer ink runs dry it has to be replaced with another inkjet cartridge. There are many reputed companies like Canon, Epson, Dell, and Lexmark that provide the necessary cartridges to replace the empty cartridges. Replacing inkjet cartridge can add to a very big cost. It could be worse if you have to replace the empty cartridges frequently every month.
9). Best Passwords By : Richard Romando No sane person would ever like someone else reading her email. Or for that matter some other person using her password and breaking into a financial institution. You should, therefore, choose a strong, secure password in such a manner that would be a hard nut to crack for others and easy for you to remember. The more random and mixed-up you make it, the harder it is for others to crack.
10). Home Printing Machines By : Peter Vermeeren Home printing machines are available on the market today in many sizes, prices and capabilities. Many different forms of printing can be accomplished in the home. Whether you want to create unique tee-shirts using a home screen printing machine or you want to produce elegant laser printed letters, the equipment is readily available to you for home use.