Exploit This Gap In Your Market

7 replies
I haven't yet found a market where this could not be used.

Except where there are strict Government regulations.

I'm talking about verbalizing the strongest feelings
your market has.

Here's an example what I came up for a online job board
founder I consulted with.

She was struggling to verbalize how what she offered was different
than other job boards and recruitment agencies.

I said let her customers know that you understand their situation better than others.

You say things like...

"Being qualified and out of work sucks

Less qualified person than you gets promoted sucks

Feeling unappreciated in your job sucks"

See how they all touch on resentment
and show that they are understood?

Beats saying "we understand you"

Now come up your version for your market.

For web design it could be...

"It sucks when a web designer can't get your phone to ring with leads"

See where this is going?

It's exploiting a gap, a weakness within your competition
and verbalizing what your prospects would say.

First show you understand them,
before you tell what you offer.

Go prosper!

Ewen
#exploit #gap #market
  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Thanks, Ewen!

    This is exactly what I'm talking about with "pain points".

    People move away most quickly from near future pain. And beginning your pain point with a negative emotional word, it's much more effective.

    "Are you frustrated because your last web designer couldn't get your phone ringing with inbound leads?"

    If they are, won't they much more ready to become your client?
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  • Profile picture of the author Kung Fu Backlinks
    This is great. Thanks for sharing. I'm definitely going to start using this.

    Not only does it connect with the market immediately, but it also keeps the business a realness. There's nothing that turns people off faster than boring marketing rhetoric.
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Another twist to this is to say the polar opposite
      to what you are known to believe in.

      For example, John Durham saying...

      Why cold calling doesn't work.

      This would draw people in like nothing else.

      He would then lay out the instances when it doesn't work
      and expand on each one.

      Then follow up on how those cases can be easily fixed
      with his solution.

      This glues the reader because it uses a pattern interupt
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  • Profile picture of the author philboy uk
    Hey Ewen

    How about this as an opening line ........ in person, not on the phone

    what do you think about all this online marketing crap ?
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Originally Posted by philboy uk View Post

      Hey Ewen

      How about this as an opening line ........ in person, not on the phone

      what do you think about all this online marketing crap ?
      Worth testing because it'll likely draw out one of 3 responses...

      1 "Yeah it's full of it". Agreement

      2 "Why do you say that, I'm doing fine with it". Disagreement

      3 Neutral.

      Best,
      Ewen
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      • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
        Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

        Worth testing because it'll likely draw out one of 3 responses...

        1 "Yeah it's full of it". Agreement

        2 "Why do you say that, I'm doing fine with it". Disagreement

        3 Neutral.

        Best,
        Ewen
        This is fine, especially in person, because you're starting to qualify your prospect.

        What are their perceptions? Prejudices? Perception is reality, at least at the start. Would you rather work with people who are a tough nut to crack, who are already way over there on the sliding scale, Against You? or with people who are already believers and understand the value of what you do?

        A neutral response could indicate more than neutrality. Since all prospects lie to protect themselves from getting ripped off, you could be with a prospect who:

        * has a belief one way or the other, but is polite

        * is fishing for free information

        * isn't interested in your question/topic.

        In this case, ask another question.

        In all cases, the next question can be, "Oh wow, why do you say that?"

        And you will start to draw out the elusive truth.
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  • Profile picture of the author SashaLee
    Hi Ewen,

    What a great thought-provoking idea. I'm starting to read through some of your older posts (you could say I'm stalking you LOL) but there's just gem after gem of excellent posts.

    Thank you!

    Sasha
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