Full Transcript 

Jen Liddy 

Hey, hey, hey!

If you are somebody who has two offers and you have a primary target market, a main buyer's persona, and you want to offshoot to another option - another offer that you need a little bit of a different target market. Or you really do want to open up to a second target market. 

This can be very confusing when it comes to marketing because you don't want to muddle your message, and you don't want to confuse your audience. 

Claudia and I today are talking specifically about this problem of "What do you do when you have two different offers that need to go to two different types of people?" 

I'm so excited for you to hear what Claudia has to say today. I know that I look like a little bit of a ghost in the dark because it's so dark here in Syracuse. So my apologies about that. Let's dive in. 

So Claudia, let's talk about the client's problem, who has two different people that they need to serve. Where should they start?

Claudia Schalkx

Well, interesting that you mentioned it because usually, in these conversations, you and I pick up a topic, and I can jump in it with two feet, with my eyes closed. But with this one, I really had to put my thoughts in a row before we had the conversation. 

And I think the first decision, it's a business decision. So you need to assess from a business point of view and not a marketing point of view, but a business point of view, which of the two options you have is in alignment with your business goals. 

Okay, so that's the first question. 

Let's suppose that both of them are in alignment with your business goals. Okay, both can help you. Then the second question you have to ask yourself is, which of the two options stands a better chance to bring you money and to allow you to grow your business? Even let's suppose you have one option that's more developed than the other one, right? So you have option A, who is developed? And B, who is your new idea? Check which of the two has a market that's really needy of that solution and aware of the problem? Because that is what's going to eat your path into the market, you need to target that needs to understand they have a problem and needs to be willing to search for a solution. Then the third question you need to ask yourself is at which level of development is your business?

So, for instance, if you have a first product A who's working perfectly and practically on autopilot, bringing another product or service with a different target will be less stressful on your resources, and by resources, understand time, money, etc. 

Because one is already working, you know where you need to be paying attention; you will have learned the tricks of the trade, so you can use your lessons learned with the first product when you develop the second product. The other scenario is when both products are in their very early stages. This is calling for problems because it's getting into a minefield, you will be practically duplicating your problems, duplicating the stress, so if that's the stage where you are, I would drop it for the time being. 

The third scenario is when you have a product that's not working well, you don't want to ditch it and add a new one. What I would do is first figure out why your product is not working. And if before ditching it or, you know, adding more stuff, you can tweak it to make it work because if you haven't been able to make one work and you don't know why then adding a second problem is going through the same road. So that's not going to help, so ideally, the best scenario is you have a product or service that is working, that you know the ins and outs, and adding another one will not cause you major stress. That would be so this is from the business point of view. Then comes a marketing point of view because once you know, you need to market your business. 

This is a conflict for me because I advise my clients to go with one idea, service, target, and promise. 

But there are moments when you grow or use the same capacities with slightly more effort and still reap the benefits. But still two services? It's like managing two companies. A little bit not exactly but a little bit.

 Because at some point, you will need to have your people choosing, making choices, and you have to make choices as well. So let's suppose you have a service or a product that is interesting for Human Resources managers and for employees. The website is the easiest place to separate the journeys, you have a homepage that acts as a portal, and then you ask, Are you in a project? Click here. Are you a human resources manager? Click here. Each goes different ways, but it's not the same on social media. And it's not the same when it comes to content. Right? That's the big problem. And that is the problem because then you start to dilute your message. And your message becomes a little bit of this, a little bit of that. So what you have to do is split the platforms where you are going to look for your people. So I would do, for instance, if you do for your employees, I would do Instagram and LinkedIn. That's the trick. Do you see how it starts to be? For the Human Resources managers, definitely LinkedIn and some business forums, you know, where you can be networking. Once you have decided on which platforms you're going to look for your people, you need to see how you are going to approach the message. Because in my eyes, there are two ways you either look for the unifying aspects or go for the things that are completely different. And then, you have to create a message for one content and one content for the other one. And that is extremely time-consuming.

Jen Liddy

Especially since most of the time, content is the last thing anybody wants to work on in their business for their main business. 

One of the clients I have inside the membership has is an organizer, but she also helps people with their decor and styling their rooms, so their space all over the place is more peaceful and beautiful. And so, in our call that we had, we talked about how to not confuse people. Am I a stylist and a decorator? Or am I an organizer? And so I asked her to go up 10,000 feet and say, What do these people have in common? What do they want? And that's kind of going through what you're saying? Like, what is the nexus that these people have in common quality-wise, what are they? What is their problem? What are they looking for and meet the message here rather than these two different buckets?

Claudia Schalkx

Yes. 

We've discussed many times before - that positioning yourself as an organizer or interior decorator focuses your skills strictly on processes. And sometimes, you can achieve the same result with a different process. 

So if you focus your message, and then again, on the commonalities of the two things, the two groups, then you can focus on the final result yet of how you're going to get there. It may be a clear example of a bridal shop; you have brides, and you have bridesmaids. And they are completely different targets because the role of each in the same event is different. You know, the bride is supposed to be the most beautiful, eye-catching, etc., etc. And the bridesmaids are there just to make her look better. All of them are looking for a dress, and all of them are looking to succeed on that day.

And it's tricky because this is the other thing that is like a bear trap. How different is a bride from a bridesmaid? If you look at it, really, with standards, it's a target and a soup target because there are no bridesmaids without a bride. 

You know, it's kind of very, very tricky to do it. But I would say devote different channels to each of your groups. And some content, you can use the same content and tweak a bit. For instance, the headline going back to the Human Resources in the employee, you can write an article about the five mistakes employees commit during an interview. But for employees, you can say, five steps, five steps to nail your next interview. And it's the same content that you're switching and tweaking. But it definitely asks for a lot of organization, asks for automation, wherever possible. And you want to make sure you get the right message to the right target. It's kind of very tricky, I would say.

Jen Liddy

I think it is tricky too.

One of the people in the membership has a brick and mortar, and she's got a nice business running for herself, giving services out of the brick and mortar. Then she wants to kind of sublet the brick and mortar so that other similar service providers can come in and use it. 

I would hate to see her start a whole new social media channel with a whole new set of content pillars like all of that work when what she's looking for is to fill a very local brick-and-mortar at certain times of the day. 

What I was wondering for her, if her marketing could be more of the relationship or the affiliate marketing, Where she kind of puts the word out to local service providers. They could come in rather than her having to start all over again, or even direct people to her website, where maybe she's got that idea of if you are using this kind of service. Or if you want to use my building for this kind of service, like the two different portals to go in and have that customer journey. 

But I think going back to your initial questions about how much capacity do you have to start this second channel? How successful is the first business that you're running working? And do you have this kind of on autopilot so that you can put some energy into this new thing? I think all of those are really important questions, and how much of this can be done by your current audience? Like, perhaps if you ask them, Hey, this is who I currently help? Do you know somebody who's looking for this, so that there's, is to let your audience who already know and love you help you do some of this heavy lifting?

Claudia Schalkx

Well, one thing, and this is looking at the coin from both sides. You're giving about the brick and mortar if she sublets, to people giving complimentary service or things to what she does, she can change the concept of her business slightly and focus it in a 360 degree kind of thing. 

So, for instance, I'm trying to think of an example, let's suppose I am a bike repair, and then the people can use my space to teach lessons on how to ride a bike safely for older people. And at the same time, I can have a place to sell accessories for bikes, or scenario routes or maps or whatever was a very basic example. But then you would think of that as a center, but if it's the people's home, she's subletting the space, working with a completely different target. One works with kids and the other one young adults or adults, you know, it might be the same service. But that can fire back so that you may be revising the content, the focus of your business. And instead of focusing on kids, you focus on education or 360-degree educational support for kids, then that's a logic change.

Jen Liddy

These are all great questions to ask yourself before you jump in. 

I have another client who has a very strong business that's up and running and she really wants to, I wouldn't say pivot but kind of branch off and I've actually had a couple of clients do this where they branch off and they almost have a separate arm of their business. It's a natural arm, it makes a lot of sense. 

But this first business has to be very well established, because if it's not, it's just this is what's keeping, taking up so much of your time. But at this point when this first business is running, and you really have done all of those little steps that we're talking about, like you've started, maybe with just two portals on your website, and you've asked people for referrals, and you've mentioned it to your audience, then it's time to start a new social media presence. Specifically, when we're talking about social media, we have to talk about, when is it time to make that leap and have a whole separate channel? So I think you've given us a lot to think about because it seems like it would be easy, but we don't want to make more work for you. 

We don't want to make more marketing for you.

Claudia Schalkx

And you know, this thing of having to target is more common than I thought it was. 

Usually, as a marketeer, what comes more on my path is people who are selling a product for one target, but the decision-maker is a different target. 

For instance, I do baby food, so the babies are the consumers with the parents deciding, or I help kids, but the parents are paying for the course or the training or the camp or whatever. There is actually a health service, caregiver, or your parent; both are giving care. But it's a different way a parent or a family relative that's helping you through a health issue than a professional caregiver, who's helping you through a health issue. And then babysitters are caregivers as well.

You have to really think very well who the people you want to serve are, and above all, the people who will help you grow your business. So what is the best target for you? Who's the most receptive to your message? And stick to it, until you're really making money that you can live from your business really, and more, I think you will need the buffers, and you will need a lot to branch out.

Jen Liddy

There's so many nuances here.

I'm thinking of the teenager who needs a therapist, but really, it's the parents who are going to hire that therapist. It's probably the parents; we're going to find that therapist, right? And then you have to convince the teenager. 

The elder parent who needs, for example, I have a client who's a chef, and she basically helps, you know, elderly people in their homes, but it's probably the children who are in their 50s or 60s who are getting that message and hiring that person. So you really have to think out who's receiving your message? Who's making the decision? And how is that person then going to, I hate to use this word, but convince the person who they're hiring that needs that?

Claudia Schalkx

That will be part of your content strategy. 

When I create content, I either answer aims and goals or questions. My target is that they want to have answers or resources. Our aim and goal in the case of these caregivers are to make sure that my parents are being taken care of and are not in an abusive thing, that I will be paying a lot of money and that I have peace of mind. 

But one of the questions or blog or content about questions is, how do you convince your parents that this is a good thing? So, you know, seven tips to help your parents accept that they need external help. That's how it works. You work with the person receiving the message and taking the message. 

So actually, you will always have more than one target. And your content will appeal to the surrounding people of your main target. It's all how you balance your content. But then again, like you've said so many times, what is the purpose of the content you're creating? What is the ultimate problem you're trying to solve? And how does it fit in your overall marketing strategy? How is it helping you to grow your business, solving somebody else's problem? So yes, it has many faces.

Jen Liddy

It's so interesting. And so I know that you and I both talk about one offer, target, message - make it as streamline as possible. But there are times when we have to maybe speak to somebody else, and that might be a separate offer, or it might be that we have two audiences, so I feel like you have given people so much gold here in terms of questions to ask yourself before you make the decision to splinter off or to pivot, and then some real strategies to get you doing that work without over without blowing up your capacity without expending the time and energy and money that is so precious to all of us.

Thank you, my friend,

You know, I know that working with Claudia, I personally work with her. If you get on a call with her for a discovery call, she actually gives you a discovery call that's not selling you anything; she actually gives you a real, I think you should do you should call them strategy calls because that's what I think they are. They're really strategy calls.

If you are looking for somebody to kind of plug that hole in your marketing strategy, if it's like at the beginning, like you want to, we talked about wanting to blow up your business wanting to leave your business because that's not working. If you just actually find somebody who can help you plug that hole.

Every week we're here talking about marketing problems. So drop your questions below. We're happy to address them, and we're happy to answer your questions. Thanks, Claudia. 

Bye, everybody.