Marketing has changed so much over recent years and so you almost certainly don’t need market research. You do however, need something else.
What’s Wrong with Market Research?
By market research I mean things like demographic data, focus groups and statistics. These are not without value. If they are to hand they may help but I would not go out of my way to find them. Why?
- Whatever your chosen business, you have competition from people offering something similar to you. They access the same information and draw similar conclusions. Unless you spot something new in the statistics, you do not bring anything different to the marketplace.
- To be successful as a coach, consultant or freelance, you need to understand how culture drives your marketing. Successful marketers build relationships with their market and this requires a different approach.
This means selling for money without caring no longer works. You must care about your customers.
Caring for Your Customers
- How do you practice curiosity about your market?
- How do you show your market you care about them and their problem?
- What insights about your market do you have that give you an edge over your competitors?
Walking in Someone’s Shoes
The key to this is to learn to practice empathy. Can you see the world through the eyes of someone different from you? Think of someone who is different, the more different the better. They need not have anything to do with your market. Spend a time consciously viewing the world as they might see it. This should ideally be several consecutive days.
The aim of this exercise is to learn what it is like to walk in someone’s shoes. Can you do the same for your own market? They may be more like you than the subject of the exercise. Do you find this makes it easier or harder to empathise?
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