Rack-Up Some Business Ideas
One of my personal creative strengths has always been the ability to generate ideas for a specific client and their specific industry. I’ve developed that ability by immersing myself in a client’s business. I subscribe to trade publications, join industry mailing lists, visit industry websites, and basically just soak up as much information as I can about the history, current trends, and the problems they are facing in today’s market.
Knowing just a little bit more about your client’s business and industry will allow you to apply the general services and products you offer to their specific needs, and deliver a unique advantage in relation to the client’s given situation.
Remerge is a marketing company in Powell, Ohio I work with, but long before I came on board they demonstrated this same strategy for a commercial painting client of theirs. By paying attention to legislation being passed by the government, Remerge was able to identify an upcoming federal deadline for real estate owners to remove lead paint from any residential properties they rented. With this single concept, Remerge was able to build an effective marketing campaign around something the painting client’s prospects not all cared about, but were going to be held responsible for if they didn’t meet the mandated deadline.
Could Remerge have simply created a brochure or a postcard that targeted property owners and pitched them painting services? Sure. That’s what any basic marketing campaign could have done. But, identifying a real need of the client’s customers and alerting them to the impending deadline, possible fines, and the new requirements they needed to conform to in order to meet the new law put their painting client in a position of authority (and a position to help) these likely prospects.
Spend a few minutes browsing magazines, websites, and reading an email newsletter or two on your clients’ industry and you’ll be surprised at the number of ideas that will be sparked which will allow you to better match your services with your client’s needs.
