Why You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone

I used to believe that if you broadened your reach as a company and obtained as many new clients as possible, it meant that business was good. But that isn’t necessarily the case. You can’t be everything to everyone.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Sea of Sameness”?

HubSpot produced a compelling ebook called, “Escape the Sea of Sameness: 5 Steps to Defining Your Agency’s Position Strategy.”

It discusses what this phrase means and why companies should avoid it. Then it provides suggestions on narrowing your company’s scope and defining your positioning strategy.

Smart Blogger also offers a good read on “9 Surefire Strategies for Standing Out in a Sea of Sameness.” Though this article focuses more on standing out as an individual, some of these strategies could also work for your company.

From a business perspective, these articles contend that offering too many products and services in an attempt to appeal to as many prospects as possible creates confusion – not growth opportunities.

Let’s say you are running a political campaign and need help with mobile advertising. All of your other bases are covered, but you know nothing about this marketing channel.

You come across a company through an online search and notice it offers digital marketing, direct mail, mobile marketing and more. You also find that the company offers these services to a wide range of industries – nothing specific to the political arena.

You continue searching and find a company that specializes in the political market. Even better, you read that they offer mobile marketing expertise.

Who should you call first?

If it’s not obvious, then we have bigger problems. It makes sense to contact the company that caters to the political market and offers the service you are looking for. I am going to take a good guess that this company better understands how to help candidates maximize the effectiveness of mobile marketing.

Why is it so important to narrow your scope and define your agency’s positioning?

Well, if you have a marketing department or plan to do any marketing at all, this will help direct your marketing efforts so your target audience isn’t everyone.

At Haines & Company, though we offer several products and services with broad appeal, we concentrate on specific niche audiences within each division and ensure that our marketing efforts between divisions are clearly defined.

Our Haines Direct division focuses on the nonprofit industry. Working together, our marketing and sales teams align to seek out and find nonprofit organizations looking for the products and services we offer.

With marketing and sales sharing the same focus on our niche audience, they become a powerful, complementary force in growing the business and helping our customers succeed.

Now, time to find out who you are as a company so you can attract the right prospects!