You’ve heard me talk a lot about the Marketing Rangefinder over the past few weeks, months, and even years.
It’s a framework for discovering where your ideal prospects are and what you should say to them to move them one step closer.
It takes the traditional marketing funnel and flips it on its side to show you that gravity does not exist.
If you pour more and more people in at the top of the marketing funnel, that does not mean more and more people get spit out the end and become customers. No, if we keep talking to people like they’re far away, they’ll never step closer.
And if we always talk to people like they should already care, they never will.
What the Marketing Rangefinder does is put you and your customers on the same field, just at different distances away from you and away from each other.
Today’s newsletter is a cheat sheet to show you what to say at each of those distances. It is not completely comprehensive, there is nuance that will get lost.
But this gives you a guide and a tool for exploring more, and diving deeper into the framework as you gain experience using it.
The Cheat Sheet
Distance: Far
They are: Strangers who need you but don’t know you
You need to: Be easy to find and instantly understandable
So they can: See that you do what they need and take one step closer by signing up for a newsletter or exploring your “Middle Step” content.
Example: Your homepage intro copy needs to say what you do before it says why or how you do it
Distance: Close
They are: Neighbours who know you but haven’t spoken to you yet
You need to: Make them more comfortable by revealing your hard-won insights and tradeoffs
So they can: See if you’re the right fit for them and their priorities
Example: Your newsletter needs to be about your process and perspective, not just about tips, tricks, or industry news
Distance: Here
They are: At your door, paying attention to the value you deliver immediately
You need to: Overdeliver where they measure your value by being extremely curious about how they perceive you
So they can: Experience your value before they fully commit
Example: Your regular check-ins with prospects and clients remind them of the progress they’ve already made (and stated)
Distance: Connected
They are: Friends who want to help you flourish
You need to: Shape what they share by providing them with the right phrases and opportunities
So they can: Refer you to others using the right words to the right people at the right time
Example: Send past clients or connections links to newsletters or other content you think they would find especially interesting (and useful to share with others)
How to Use It
Before you hit publish on that next piece of marketing content, ask yourself:
Who is this for? How far away are they? Does this piece of content help move them one step closer?
If not, or you don’t know, take another pass and focus on the distance and the value they need at each one.
And you’ll find yourself moving prospects one step closer, instead of having them bounce off of content that’s unfocused or not for them.
Try it out and let me know how it works for you.
If you want to learn more about the Marketing Rangefinder and how to use it to improve your marketing messages, please reach out. We offer this as a half- and full-day workshop.
Kelford Inc. is the marketing team that’s never at a loss for words. If you’re struggling with what to say and where to say it to attract ideal clients, we’ll show you the way.