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Case Studies: Is This Your Business? Q: Our consulting company's mission is to assist individuals to maximize their potential through the refinement of their personal image. Our target market involves high-earning corporate professionals. How do we market a service this specialized? A: Congratulations, you have already focused your mission, your target market, and, I presume, your value proposition. You are well on the way to finishing your strategic marketing plan. However marketing by consultants can be difficult and is usually accomplished in different ways than for a consumer product. Clearly, you have already designed a broad marketing strategy. Now is the time to focus that strategy somewhat with market research into the nature of your target customers. Where do they shop; what are their needs; do they know they have certain needs; what are their desires; what "pain" are you going to relieve by consulting with them (pain relief is the basis of most marketing)? The next step is to design a core message that will succinctly and clearly convey how you can meet all these needs. Once this process is completed, you can begin to determine how to reach potential clients. Essentially, this involves being where your potential clients will be in order to deliver your message effectively. Therefore, it becomes a simple research matter to determine where your target clients "gather" (whether physically, or as a community gathered around some concept, like media, a web site, or an association. Again, this is a logical process. What professionals are high earning? In which sectors do they operate? For example, will lawyers be likely clients? Then you will find access points to convince lawyers - such as law magazines, legal newspapers, law society gatherings, etc. Similarly, if successful entrepreneurs, perhaps in technology, form a potential market with a large number of potential clients that fit your criteria, you would find ways to gain access to them through their specialized media, associations, etc. This extreme targeting of potential customers will take longer than broad-based advertising, but will likely yield more results in the long run, and it will be considerably more cost-effective. However, if you desire to generate customers more quickly, you might try advertising in business magazines and newspapers read regularly by your target clientele. You will have to determine whether the return from this technique is worth the costs, however. If you have the funds, I would suggest a test advertisement, and then measure the response. Lastly, you might try an alliance strategy: With this you determine where your potential clients might shop, and then strike agreements with the retailers to allow you to place your "message" with them. This does not necessarily have to involve clothing; it could involve any high-end retailed good or service. You will be helping the retailers by adding value to their services. They in turn will be helping you by allowing you reach their select customers.  Back to Resources
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