Example: Manufacturers with many blue-collar union employees have different needs than self-employed architects or the owners of a Mom-and-Pop retail stores. What's more, the dentists, family practitioners and optometrists in your area will probably be in completely different professional and social circles than the surgeons. Each of these groups of businessowners or professionals represents a unique "market" or market "segment."
So, even though the basic solutions you offer may be much the same from one group to the next, approaching these prospects as if they all had identical needs, wants, objectives and concerns is not a red-hot idea.
Actually, distinctions among different types of businessowners and professionals, whether real or perceived, can create opportunities for sales associates who make the effort to understand the unique situations, needs, wants and concerns of their on-profile prospects. For this reason, the most successful producers are usually those who "target" on-profile preferred prospects in identifiable market segments and focus their selling efforts on these groups. This is easier to do in large, metropolitan areas, but even producers in the smallest rural communities can benefit from this marketing principle by positioning themselves as business planning "specialists" in their areas.
Ohio National is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse or sponsor, any particular prospecting, marketing or selling system.