On Target: Mastering the Four Pillars of Business Success including: 1.Message is all about what you say to your target market. It's about communicating your unique value and why your offer solves a specific problem. Hopefully the problem you solve is an urgent one, like a toothache or a leaking roof. If you're a dentist or a roofer and the people you serve aren't in any kind of pain, then you're not going to be very busy. 2.Market is the group of people who are your ideal prospects. You may want to think of everyone as a potential buyer, but few companies have the mass market of a company like Coca Cola. (On the other hand, even ordinary soft drinks don't appeal to people who have a sugar problem.) The legendary copywriter Gary Bencivenga made the observation that problems are markets. Take that to heart. There is a lot of talk about segmentation, demographics, psycho-graphics, and statistics, but this type of profiling has its limitations. When you think about it, everyone who has a specific problem can be considered part of the target market for that solution. Young or old, rich or poor, when you have a broken arm, you are in need of a doctor. (As we said before, there are a lot of business books that describe all kinds of ways of understanding and categorizing your markets. Some are useful, but much is overkill for those with limited time on their hands and limited budgets. "What problem do you solve" is something that needs to be asked by all of us, and answering it effectively will prevent many a disaster. 3.Merchandise means your product or service and the offers you put together. You can have a physical product, such as a watch or car, or something less tangible like expertise or advice. Even if you offer consulting, training, or coaching services, you would do well to learn merchandising techniques used by retailers. They have the resources to test many variables to see what works and what doesn't. Even though tastes may change, you need to determine how to package and price what you offer so that it appeals to others. 4.Media refers to the way you get your message into your target market. How are you reaching out to others? What media outlets are you using? There are hundreds of ways to communicate with your audience, some of them free, others paid. Advertising, which is a paid form of communication, is often an effective method of attracting the attention of your target market. A lot of companies try to build their business without investing in advertising, and a lot of advertising is certainly wasted or ineffective, but "pay to play" can vault your business to the top in short order. There is a reason why companies pay millions for a Super Bowl ad. Social media, which started out as mostly free, has evolved to the point that you can buy advertising on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Practical and Proven Steps to Go from Where You Are to Where You Want to Go