by Stacy Zemon
When running a mobile DJ business in a highly competitive area, if you’re trying to be all things to all people, this may not be the right strategy for you. Here’s how to stay focused.
The process of finding a target market and narrowing your company’s focus to appeal to it directly often trips up DJs, who find it difficult to turn down bookings when they arise.
The Dangers of Being Unfocused
Whatever market you’re in, you’ve likely got a lot of competition standing between you and prospects. Narrowing your focus to one specific demographic or slice of the marketplace gives potential clients a reason to notice you in the rest of the fray.
If you’re not differentiating yourself in the marketplace, what happens is the consumer looks at price as being the motivator. And they look at the cheapest. If you don’t know specifically which customers you are speaking to, you are actually speaking to no one.
The big danger is that without a target market, it’s like standing in a park shouting in the wind. When you have a target market, its like standing in a park and talking to a specific group of people.
That means you can’t be afraid to exclude certain types of events from your marketing or to target your advertising at niche markets such as certain ethnic or religious groups, or types of parties. Focus requires exclusion. Exclusion is fundamental to target markets.
Become The Expert in One Type of Event or Client
One way to hone in on a specific sector is to become an established resource in one area. If you’re an expert in weddings, school dances, Mitzvahs, Latino music, etc…people will pay the price tag on whatever products and services you offer.
You can build up credibility by offering information for free through your company’s website or blog: things like tips, industry information, or niche data that will help potential customers think of you as a reliable expert in that area.
Your credibility comes with giving away information. “If this is the value I’m getting for free, what will I get if I pay for it??
DJs who do this successfully often start by following their passion. If you can marry your passion with your target prospect, that’s a really strong niche market.
Do the Market Research
Ranks clients by profitability. In that step alone you can start identifying bookings you have taken or would take or shouldn’t be taking. Then look for past clients that are providing you with referrals. They’re referring business to you because they’re having a great experience. They’re happy, they’re beyond satisfied and that’s why they’re referring business.
Tweak your Marketing
As simple as it sounds, the name of your company is crucial when narrowing your market. Your name should say what you do.
You may have to change your branding strategy or marketing efforts to clarify your mission. Once you find your target, you’ll definitely want to alter your advertising efforts to go after the places and media you use to generate new business.
It’s not just an advertisement that you do. It actually has to become part of everything you do. Your marketing needs to highlight the specialization, which improves credibility. You’ve got to be perceived as the best at what you do.
Then, once you’ve identified that base, use it to improve the business through things like social media and interactive marketing to find out more about what the customers are looking for.
You’ve got to essentially engage that market. Having a target market really pays off when you can engage people in a two-way conversation.
Stacy Zemon - Publisher and Chief Scribe
To her credit, Stacy Zemon has spawned more professional Mobile DJ business owners than anyone in the industry — anywhere!
She is widely considered a leading authority and has become a distinguished leader during the course of her extensive career as a DJ Entertainer.
Stacy is author of the world’s best-selling DJ books: The Mobile DJ Handbook, The DJ Sales & Marketing Handbook and The Mobile DJ MBA, and is a longtime writer for DJ Times magazine.
Her mission is to provide educational resources for DJs that support their professional growth and financial prosperity.
Write to her c/o [email protected] or call 877-442-7170.
For the longer version of Stacy’s story, click here. To learn about Stacy’s business consulting services, click here.
