I’ve had several things come through my email box this week regarding the importance of being clear about what you want and the target market you want to serve. Sounds like branding to me. And of course, these emails were targeted at business owners (like me), but read some of these comments and see if they resonate with you as a job seeker …
Pulled from Lisa Wilder’s blog:
–“Just because your services could benefit anyone and everyone doesn’t mean you don’t need to identify a much more specific target market. One of the goals in identifying a specific target market is to make your marketing efforts as effective as they can possibly be.
–Because [when] you’re speaking to anyone and everyone you have to speak about what you do and how you can help in very generic terms so as to appeal to as many people as possible (or so you think). In this situation, precisely because you’re speaking generically, your message may resonate with only 30% of your audience.
–On the flip side, [when] you’ve clearly identified your market, and you’re speaking only to them, you’re now able to speak much more specifically and relevantly to their particular tax concerns and needs. In this situation, your message is highly likely to resonate with closer to 80% (or more) of your audience.
Having a clearly identified target market makes it possible for you to clearly identify your target market’s most urgent needs and compelling desires, the solutions you offer to meet those needs and desires, and the deeper benefits of them. Without that clarity, it’s very difficult to talk about what you do in a way that is compelling to potential clients.” [emphasis added]
From the most recent Get Slightly Famous blog:
“The benefit she delivered was helping her clients move from “owner dependant” firms to building profitable, stand-alone businesses. Her challenge, however, was that she lacked a clear, focused target market to guide her marketing efforts.” [emphasis added]
When you know what you want, your value proposition, and your target market, your marketing strategy is more focused and more effective. What would happen if you became laser–focused in your job search? What if you put all your efforts into targeting only those employers that were places you wanted to work? What would be different about your search?