I dropped my truck off at a repair shop this morning, asked where the nearest coffee shop was so I could go get some work done.
As I walked away the technician called me back.
Sheepishly he explained I would need to drive my truck into the repair shop as neither he nor the owner could drive a standard transmission vehicle.
Growing up on a farm, nearly everything had a standard transmission and I had to learn to drive everything starting with the basics.
Driving a standard transmission is becoming a lost art.
Reminds me of the basics of marketing a business in today’s world, it’s becoming a lost art.
Most marketing today skips the basics and we are encouraged to believe rushing to create a sales funnel, rushing into social media marketing, and promotional email are the answer to all of our customer acquisition challenges.
Don’t get me wrong, these can be effective channels, once you have covered the basics.
The basics include:
- A clear and detailed avatar of your ideal client.
- A clear understanding of what you really do and the value you provide.
- Using the appropriate media to specifically reach your ideal avatar with a message that resonates with them and causes them to pause and consider your solution to their problem.
In the marketing world, one size fits all, is a recipe for a disaster, and yet so many businesses fall prey to the gurus promoting such garbage.
The better (and the only effective) solution is to take time and do the work to cover the basics. Then launch your marketing programs and initiatives and constantly measure your results.
Knowledge is power and can be used to create that massive surge in business that separates you from the competition.
Your specific and targeted approach will produce lasting results far beyond the limited results of a scattered approach.
These basics are not just useful for your marketing initiatives. They are also providing the foundation you need to position your business uniquely and avoid the worst thing that can happen in your business, commoditization.
In case you missed it, I wrote about this very serious threat of commoditization here.
The bottom line here is to take the time to really figure this stuff out. Create permanent records of your research and continue to study and update your data as things change, and they are always in a constant state of flux.
If you are looking for an example of a fitness business that does a great job of this, look at Gold’s Gym. Gold’s started in the mid-1960s and they are stronger than ever today. They do not even resemble the business they were 50+ years ago and they grow stronger by understanding and paying attention to the basics.
Want more examples and evidence of the incredible future facing the fitness industry, the pitfalls to avoid and how to be the most popular business in your market? Check out the PPS below or request our Executive Report on the fitness industry, now.
Now that I think about it, I guess a standard transmission in my truck is kind of like a security system. 😊
