Looking out my kitchen window the other day, I watched my cat, Sebastian, gingerly pick his way along a faint path from the back gate to a hole in the fence to the neighbor's yard.
My other cat, Phoebe, tends to use that path, too, as do other cats in the neighborhood; it's the Cat Path. As I watched Sebastian make his morning commute, I couldn't help but wonder whether squirrels made paths, too. The corner of Squirrel and Cat would have to be the most exciting intersection in the yard!
Hmmmm...that made me wonder: What if you could plunk yourself down right there in the middle of a customer's path? After all, finding the intersection of Customer and You is really the whole point, right?
I've seen Sebastian in the yard many times, and of course he's not always on the Cat Path. But he's a creature of habit; he has his favorite place to lay in the sun in the morning and a particular shady bush where he tends to hang out when he wants to watch the yard (and the squirrels) without being seen. And when he's making his rounds of the neighborhood, he uses the Cat Path.
I know this about him because I've been spying on him. I've observed him "doing his thing" over time; I've had a chance to notice certain behaviors and patterns, so now I know where to look for him.
It's the same with customers. If you watch closely, you'll notice a
pattern in their shopping and decision-making, and even though no two
customers are exactly alike, you'll find that they do share certain
habits, behaviors or ways of thinking. That nexus -- where your
customers come together in their behaviors and thinking -- is critical
to the success of your business.
When a coach tells me they're afraid of picking a niche or target market because they think it will limit their opportunities, I tell them to think again. Claiming a niche for your business actually puts you in the customer's path and creates the opportunity to connect, build relationship and do business together.
The trick is to find a warm, comfy spot with a good view of the yard.
