In real estate the mantra is “location, location, location.” When it comes to marketing security (0r anything else, for that matter), it’s “targeting, targeting, targeting.” What this means is that all marketing activity should be focused very tightly on the specific type of customer you’re trying to reach. When it comes to effective marketing, using the same message for everyone is very ineffective. It simply won’t get you the kind of results you really want. Worse yet, it’s inefficient, wasting time and resources.
Think about how to segment your market into very specific niches. Then prioritize and position yourself as a specialist in solving the security-related problems of that market segment.
Think about it this way. Let’s say you want to go trout fishing. Would you just grab any type of bait and tackle and then head out to the nearest body of water? Not if you wanted a successful outing.
You’d think about the kind of bait trout find appealing, the type of rod, reel and line you need, the time of day trout feed, what attracts trout to bait and causes them to bite, how to properly set the hook, along with a host of other factors. By doing your homework and focusing your efforts, your odds of bringing in a good string go way up. Without it, you’re likely to come home with nothing but a sunburn to show for your efforts.
In spite of this fairly obvious fact, relatively few security dealers take the time and effort to target their efforts. They use the same message for everyone (often centering on price or product features) and then wonder why their sales pipeline isn’t flooded with new opportunities.
Be a Specialist, Not a Generalist
The takeaway is to think about how to become a security “specialist” rather than a “generalist.” Think about how to segment your market into very specific niches. For instance, some of the segments in the home security market include the elderly (personal emergency response), families with latchkey kids, single women and new parents.
On the commercial side, you could segment your market into key verticals like healthcare, construction sites, convenience stores, storage units, financial institutions, education, fast food, warehouses, government facilities and “mom and pop” retail.
Once you’ve identified your quarry, the next step is to develop and implement an offering and a message that will resonate with each of these groups, starting with a specific landing page on your website targeted at that segment. As a specialist, you’ll rise head-and-shoulders above your “me-too” generalist competitors.
The video below provides some additional insight into the important ideas of targeting and positioning.
