'BIATWC' means 'Build It And They Will Come', but the reality is that they won't. Too many people suffer from the illusion that all they have to do is to build the website and the business will come pouring in. I call it the BIATWC Disease.
A few days ago, I met with a bright ambitious lady with a wonderful product that has tremendous potential. Her marketing plan consisted of:
- Build a website
I asked, "Tell me about your customers who buy this." she didn't have any yet. She had no idea of the kind of people who would be buyers. I asked, "What motivates someone to buy a product like this." She didn't know. I asked her what sets her company and product apart from her competitors. She didn't know.
I don't want to denigrate this lady because she really is a talented and ambitious woman. She has spent enormous amounts of time on the product. I told her that before she did anything else - especially before she spent any money on advertising - She needs the answers to three questions:
Who Are Your Buyers?
Find out what kind of people buy from you. What are their circumstances? When is their mindset?
Why Do They Buy?
What is that 'moment of epiphany' that causes them to decide they need to buy a product like yours. Why do they choose to buy your product instead of your competitors? In other words, What problem do you solve for your clients and how do you solve it better than anyone else?
How Do They Buy?
What is their buying process? Where do they look for a solution? What criteria do they use to decide among several solutions?
As social media becomes less of a bright shiny new object and more of one part of an integrated campaign, it becomes more and more necessary to think like a marketer. Not until you know the answers to these questions can you create a plan of action that has any hope of success.
