This question just came up (again):
“I know how important it is to hone in on what exact problems your target audience is going through, but I could never really do that for corporates because I’ve worked in corporate for only 8 months and don’t have a ton of people in management positions within corporate now.”
This is a super common question and I wanted to share my answer with the wider group too.
Because there are actually 3 elements hiding in the answer to this question:
Being tactical
#1 The first is the tactical element – this is about how to gain the insights you need.
Start with hitting on google “the biggest challenges for [insert your chosen industry]” and go from there.
(Seriously, it’s this simple to get started. Of course, that’s not where it stops!)
Being strategic
#2 The second element is strategic in nature. Now you hone in on the actual problems that the people you are trying to sell to have.
Because the HR Director has different challenges to the COO who has different challenges to the Regional Sales Director. Again, Google is your friend (other search engines are also available 😉 )
At this stage, you might also want to follow any online debates, e.g. on LinkedIn – just be aware that corporates NEVER share the issues they haven’t solved yet…
You can also reach out to individuals to ask to attend informational interviews – not to sell your offer but to gather some genuine insights.
And of course, as you are having these conversations, you’ll learn what the exact challenges of your prospects are.
Chances are, they are similar across different companies of similar size in the same industry…
Your own beliefs and assumptions
#3 The third element is a bit of a different beast because this is not about the audience at all. This part is about your own beliefs, assumptions, and internal brainfarts.
When you wonder – “Have I got enough data?”
When you think – “I’m not sure I understand everything about my audience’s issues…”
When you worry – “They’ll know that I’ve just googled this information – I must get something else…”
Let me put your mind at rest…
- Prospects will not mind that your insights come from research. In fact, taking the time to research their challenges and listening to learn more will set you apart from 95% of other people trying to sell to them.
- You don’t need to be an expert in their industry – you need to be an expert on your topic and know enough about their industry to understand them.
- You will gain more data and insights as you talk to people.
So this has to be your priority – get out there, talking to your audience – because THAT is how you learn more about them!
What I can offer you
In my work with clients, we dive into all the other **stuff** that seems so important but is actually just holding you back from landing your first (or next) corporate client. Things you don’t need, like a fancy website, a finished program or testimonials.
I hold your hand every step of the way with simple exercises to get you moving – no matter where you are in your corporate journey.
In my intensive program, we work on your offer, positioning and message and on how to speak to corporate priorities so that you set yourself apart from ALL the others in your niche.
Just send me a DM and we will have a no-strings-attached chat and go through a genuine assessment of whether this could work for you.
