What Can You Offer Your Target Market That Your Competition Can’t or Doesn’t?
Think about what you know that your competition doesn’t know or that you know better? What value can you offer your target market? Do you have something you can teach them?
By analyzing and understanding your competition, you will know exactly what differentiates your products or services from theirs.
It will also help you focus on your competitive advantage and show your target market why they should do business with your company.
Remember, people like to do business with people they know and trust.
Ensure your target market KNOWS you and TRUSTS you so they can SEE your value to them.
Utilize video marketing by offering your teachings online. Make your brand stand out!
Extend Your Virtual Handshake and Open Your Virtual Classroom
How can you teach online? There are many online platforms that allow you to:
- Share your desktop and image
- Deliver PowerPoint presentations
- Interact with your audience
Build your brand while sharing your knowledge and teaching your target market something they really need or want to know.
People like to do business with people they know. The Internet allows you to get “known” by a ton of people virtually.
So how can you do this? Create a video about yourself to introduce yourself to your target market.
Let them know who you are and why they want to do business with you.
Introduce yourself to your potential clients/customers, let them know you, like you, and trust you.
Create videos to identify your brand, attract more customers, make more money.
Branding Yourself: What Can You Teach Others?
Use Video Marketing Strategies to Teach Others
Because video content is so versatile, it can be used for many different reasons, including:
- Demonstrating how products or services work
- Relevant news stories
- How to, instructional videos, or educational videos
- Live streaming events
- Thought leadership
Be sure to use video in all aspects of your marketing, such as social media and educational content.
Thought Leadership Videos
Gary Vee, a popular influencer and industry leader, has built a huge social media following by sharing his thought-leadership videos.
Educational Videos
According to Pew Research Center, 51% of visitors to YouTube are looking for how to learn new things or how to do something of interest to them.
When you know your target market, you will understand the topics they would want to learn more about.
For example, Small Business Trends, an online publication and community for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Vetted experts volunteer to share their industry expertise, insights, and knowledge providing valuable information with its target audience, in lessons such as the one below.
Product Demo Video
Before creating a product demo video,Identify what you are trying to accomplish.
It is also essential to know who your audience is and where they look for information.
To illustrate how a product video works, let’s look at one of my favorite tools, the Graphics Creator by Laughingbird software.
The tool’s creators create simple, easy-to-follow, and step-by-step videos on how to use the products.
Final Thoughts
One of the many benefits of video content is that it affords you a creative license and can also be fun.
If you are just starting out including video in your digital marketing initiatives, take it one step at a time.
Try starting out by creating a short video that will teach something valuable to your target market that they will want to watch.
Originally published 10/3/2011, republished 01/02/2022 to add content and videos
As a Visual Digital Marketing Specialist for New Horizons 123, Julie works to grow small businesses, increasing their online visibility by leveraging the latest in internet and video technologies. She specializes in creative camera-less animated video production, custom images, content writing, and SlideShare presentations. Julie also manages content, blog management, email marketing, marketing automation, and social media for her clients.
Hi Julie,
Agree with you about teaching and video can be a great way to do this especially for people who coach. One thing I think people get caught up in is how much do they teach especially if they provide services. Perhaps that is why so much stuff you see is so general in nature on the internet.
Hi Susan,
Yes I can see where one might find it a challenge to determine at what point do they charge for sharing this knowledge. I also agree that much of what we do see for free is so general that we oftentimes don’t really learn anything new. I think it is important to be sure you are actually teaching your target something they don’t already know, and then charge for additional, more in-depth training.
Yes! I do have something that sets me apart from other parent coaches. I place a strong focus on building Emotional Intelligence Skills which research has proven is vital for longterm happiness and success for kids. Thanks for asking.
Your post is timely for me as I’m preparing parenting workshops. It would be great to tap in to markets outside of my local area. I’m having trouble finding a venue that will allow me to show a dvd from my computer though….
Agree with you Julie and vidoes are good for that. Seems lately I’m using videos to teach people about human rights, how to be a leader, run the world economy and so forth. Wonder what that makes me?:-)
@Keyuri: And that is a really great focus – one that I am sure you could – if you wanted to – extend into the adult population LOL. EI is not something enough people have! I am not the most technical tool in the shed but have you looked into a platform that allows you to share your desktop? I wonder if that would work where you play the DVD and share it from you desktop. You can also convert the DVD into video and use it that way. I use DVDVideoSoft Free Studio. It is really easy to use and works. If you would like to try it and or try playing a DVD and sharing it from your desktop, you are more than welcome to try out my MyVideoTalk Broadcaster to see if you like it. Give me a call – it would be nice to chat with you anyway 🙂
@Catarina: I see that you have been using videos and I really like them. The videos on your posts add so much to the message which is already very valuable. Not sure what that makes you LOL. Smart? 🙂
Hi Julie,
I’m seriously thinking of transitioning from the service business to creating training products. Video will definitely be one of the mediums that I need to offer as a delivery method. So, expect to hear from me in the future. 🙂
Hi Sherryl. That is a great idea. I have been working with Susan on putting together a product for myself except I have been stuck on step 1! argh. I look forward to hearing from you and in helping you in any way that I can. 🙂
Hi Solvita – glad you found the information valuable. Thanks for leaving your foot print 🙂
You are terrific at video, Julie. Like Sherryl, I too have thought about creating some training products. If they are really good (and this is key), they should start producing a passive income stream. What are your thoughts about having your own unique YouTube Channel?
Keep up the good work!
Thank you Julie ~ awesome information on the importance of video. You are brilliant in providing service for people who need help in this. Have a beautiful day! 🙂
Hi Catherine, Thanks for adding that educational videos as a follow-up to speaking engagements not only get the word out about your expertise, but will serve you well in getting more attendance at your next speaking event! 🙂
Hi Jeannette – I almost missed your comment – so nice to see you! “They” say we should all have products to sell. But you are right – they have to be good – there are many product floating around the web that are of zero value. Susan and I were discussing that. I think everyone who has a video HAS to have a Youtube Channel even if they (we) use other video platforms too. Not sure what you mean by “unique” channel. You can make your channel pretty and do whatever you want to make it as “unique” as possible, but it will always be Google’s Youtube brand you are on – there is no getting away from that. Hence the rise of platforms like MyVideoTalk where you can be your own brand. However, this does not mean that you should not have a Youtube channel too. I have both. Did I answer your question? 🙂
Hi Julie,
Educational videos are a creative way to follow up on a speaking engagement too. The fact is, no one has time to become an expert at everything and educational videos are a great way – as you say – to get the word out about your expertise.
I love, love teaching and besides sharing my knowledge on my site have certainly branched out to radio, teleseminars and videos. I also agree that many will only share minimal information for free…but I believe in the opposite..you can never give away too much…sharing your knowledge is important. If want you share is of value to others, then they will most certainly come back and pay for more:)
Very interesting Julie! I’ve seen presentations of Video Talk before and they are awesome!
Norma Doiron @The LEARNED Preneur ???
Hi Dr. Daisy, thanks so much for your comment. I think what the others and I were referring to is at what point do you make the cut-off to when you DO start charging? There are just some people who will take all the valuable knowledge you have to offer but as soon as you mention the $$ word – they are gone. I just had the opposite scenario happen twice in a row. I offered a free generic video to a bunch of home inspectors. Many took the generic one, one asked me to brand it to him and the other asked me to make him a totally different one customized to him. Both are paying for it. Nice surprise 🙂
@Susan: I agree with what you say and if what you offer is really valuable – then the chances are that they will come back for more.
@ Norma: I agree – that is why I use them! You know where you to go if you want to hear more 🙂
Hi Julie,
Great concept here. I think Aristotle Onassis said it really well: The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows.
I think that in “how” we share this info, we position ourselves to not only stand out against the pack, but also to attract more of what we are designing for ourselves.
Love the ideas you share!!
Thanks,
Cat Alexandra
Agreed Cat – it is all about who we know that knows someone else – everywhere in life. Get in front of the influencers in your niche, get them behind you, and you are on your road to success! That is the whole concept behind celebrity product endorsements, right?