Differentiation Through Connections

A few nights before school started, my 7-year old son, some of you may remember him from the Lemonade Stand Learnings, laid out his life plan for the next year. He stated that he and I were to write a book, that addressed an important issue and provided the perspective of a kid and the perspective of a parent. We would each write 6 chapters, each chapter to be 11 pages in length. He was interested in the total pages to figure out costs to print the book, as well as how many books he needed to sell to make his revenue goal. I shared with him the possibility of on-demand printing through Amazon, or self-publishing an e-book. We also discussed how his initial price-point of $15 may be too high, considering he may not have the traditional credentials, and how a $4.99 price may increase sales, or that even more people may pay $1-2 since it’s a unique take on a problem many families encounter, and then your total earnings are much higher than the original goal.

Wow! First, he’s got a plan, he’s recruited a strategic partner, set defined goals, and is even considering COGS. The part of his plan that made me pause, and quite frankly blew me away, was his content idea. How does a 7-year old understand the importance of differentiation so clearly? Maybe he actually listens to his marketing parents (poor guy – can’t escape it even if he tried!) and our stories about projects and clients.

As Marketing Mana continues to grow, I notice my passion for telling the story of each small business in a way that connects the company’s mission to their target audience.  I am also tuning into my key principle of education, in both academics (as in my kids should take their job as students seriously since college is a future mandatory achievement) and improving literacy rates in the topics of health, finance, and general business knowledge, especially when it comes to understanding your customer.

I have heard from various business owners that they want to grow; they know marketing is the answer, and they just want to get the word out as fast and efficient as possible. That’s when I ask:

• Who is your target customer and why?
• What’s your mission?
• What is special about your business that your target customer should know?

Understanding your product/service offering and how that solves your customers’ problems, in a unique way, is how a business will grow. The deeper you understand your customers’ needs, often based on their life cycle, life stage, and the factors that are part of their decision-making process, the better your message will be heard and resonate with your target segment. When your point of differentiation is clearly defined, your customers will consider your business in a new light.

Marketing Mana connects small business’ missions with customer needs, creates powerful connections and drives measurable results. Marketing Mana works with small businesses in the Western Suburbs of Chicago to develop marketing strategies, understand customer segments and focus on mission statements and measurable goals. Ultimately, this improves the overall customer experience and builds brand loyalty. Marketing Mana is about strategy based on your small business goals, your customers, the marketplace, and your desire to choose pono (righteousness).