World Domination for Small Web Businesses

Most Web designers define their target market as either:

1. "Small to mid-sized businesses"

   Or:

2. "People who can be reached through word of mouth from clients and colleagues"

Both these “target markets” cost Web designers revenue, time and money. This article explains why. Then, it shows how to focus on a specific target market to increase revenue, cut marketing costs, and make business development easier and more effective.

Why Small to Mid-Sized Businesses Are Not a Target Market

First, “small to mid-sized businesses” are not a target market. There are about 14 million small to mid-sized businesses in the United States alone. Even in a small metropolitan area, there can be tens of thousands of businesses. Web designers who claim to focus on serving this market are not focused at all. Instead, they face the following obstacles:

1. Their business development efforts are scattered and expensive. The more general the market, the more difficult and expensive it is to reach the people it contains.

2. Their positioning in the market is weak. Prospects perceive these providers as “just another Web designer” instead of “Web designers who understand my unique needs, problems, and language.”

3. They have to bid on projects in competitive situations in order to get work. Generalists have to bid. Specialists establish themselves as experts in a focused niche, become recognized in that niche, and continually have more clients calling to offer them sole source deals.

4. The solutions they provide are less effective than would be more focused solutions produced by specialists. Why? Because solutions produced by a generalist do not address the deep needs of a specific type of business.

5. Competitors who do focus on a specific industry can beat these Web designers, because their solutions are targeted, they understand their client’s needs deeply, and they have a base of referrals from opinion leaders in that industry.

Why People You Can Reach Through Word of Mouth from Clients and Colleagues is Not a Target Market

“People you can reach through word of mouth from clients and colleagues” is not a target market, nor is it a very powerful marketing strategy. Web designers who focus on their network may make a living, but they won’t achieve the revenue they deserve. There are two reasons why:

1. “Word of mouth” depends on the good will of others, and is a passive approach to business development. Most of your clients and colleagues are too busy with their own problems to constantly think about spreading the word about your Web design business. It is much more powerful to focus on a target market, and create proactive referral and business development systems that attract prospects to you.

2. Most relationship networks spread across a range of industries. This raises the issues faced by Web designers who claim to focus on small and mid-sized businesses.

The Alternative ...And Its Benefits

The alternative is to focus on a very specific target market -- especially a focused industry. There are hundreds of potential industries, as a quick look in your local Yellow Pages will show. Some of the most successful Web designers I know have built their business by focusing on one of the following markets: auto dealerships, mortgage brokers, realtors, dental practices, small hospitals, accounting firms, or pool and spa dealers.

Take a quick look in your Yellow Pages now, just to see the possibilities. For instance, I count 100 different industries under “A” alone.