Scott Saunders | There is a fundamental phrase in marketing that I truly believe in. It serves as a barometer of how I approach any design decisions, and I think it is at the core of whether a brand is going to be successful or not.
“If you try to reach everyone, you will reach no one.”
The concept is simple. When a business is starting out and comes to that inevitable crossroads of determining who their desired customer base is, many take the perilous road by answering “everyone”. The intent to appeal to all males from the age of 10 to 70 is not only ambitious but foolhardy. How you strategize appealing to a young teenager would be polar opposite to how you would appeal to a retiree.
It’s like trying to hit 20 archery targets at the same time but with one arrow.
Another way of looking at it is through taste. Everyone has a different sense of flavors. Some people like very salty things. Some people like very sweet things. And other people like things fiery spicy and others have a more sensitive palette. Now try to create a food product that will be enjoyed by everyone of those people. Between the far extremes lies a compromise, but it is just mediocre by those that use the far extremes as their barometer and preferences.
So at the core of successful brands is that they are not trying to appeal to everyone. They are appealing to a group that is wide enough to sustain profitable demand, but narrow enough that you can reach them with 100% focus. You can nail the bullseye, because there is just one small target. When you figure out that you want your brand to appeal solely to 14-18 year old female skateboarders with disposable income, you will be able to design and build marketing strategies that will speak to them, where they are at and in the manner to best be seen by them.
