You've got a general plan in mind on how to market your must-have product. You've brainstormed all the steps and they seem to hang together for the most part. You'll start with a trade show booth, demonstrate what your widget can do, then send out an email marketing campaign to your in-house list and follow that up with a direct mailing that knocks their socks off. Problem is, you're headed in the wrong direction and each step will take you further afield.

How so? Have you really considered the best way to reach your target audience? Are they likely to attend a trade show? Or enjoy being hit by email marketing? In fact, do you really know who your customer is in the first place, or is it more of a best-guess hunch.

Without knowing for sure, all of your marketing communications could be leading you away from your prospects, instead of toward them.  

When it comes to marketing, it's all about filling a niche. But first you need to figure out what it is. Often, when we sit down with clients, we ask just those questions. You'd be surprised how vague the answers can be. That doesn't make for great copywriting. And it's even worse when it comes to selling a product or service effectively.

Our marketing team at We Know Words regularly helps clients dig deeper into details. We call it customer-centric copywriting. Because, at the end of the day, it's all about the customer. And if you don't know who your customer is, or their habits, desires, dreams and practical constraints, then you can't make an honest and lasting connection.  

Sure, it can take a bit longer at the beginning to craft an effective email marketing or web writing campaign. But all those baby steps will ultimately lead in the right direction...to sales.