Disclaimer: I am not an economist. If I’ve got this Nash equilibrium thing wrong, please send me a five page proof of your claim utilizing >50% of the Greek alphabet to: 1007 E. 57th St. #333, Chicago, Il 60637 by 5:00 PM on Friday.
Because You’re Special
No matter what you do, you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of specializing in your particular market—one doesn’t just do life coaching, it’s gotta be life coaching for marine mammal trainers. It’s not just about being a horse trainer with a cowboy hat, but a horse whisperer with a cowboy hat. Or maybe you’re not just a physical therapist, but an angry-horse-related injury specialist, not just a murderer, but a psycho killer with mommy issues bent on revenge, &c. You’ve got to find your specialty. Or, specialism, if you’re in the UK.
This proposition makes sense, but sometimes it’s hard to get it to that completely sunk-in area of your brain from which marketing thoughts like to originate. Personally, I’m often tempted to market my copywriting skills to everyone, thinking I’ll land a sweet gig writing about fluffy kittens that pays 10 G’s a week. And really, I probably could write effectively about almost anything (yeah, no, economics isn’t on that list). Just like that one horse whisperer could “whisper” not just horses into tractability, but an uptight, middle-aged British socialite into life on a farm. So why can’t I do the same? “Come away with me, and I’ll write your fishing-boat related copy unto awesome, even though I get seasick when reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”
Another Comparison of Marketing to Dating
That’s why it was cool to stumble upon (and I mean that in the least meta-way possible) this scene from 2001’s A Beautiful Mind demonstrating Nash equilibirium. It’s that cool barside conversation about blondes and Adam Smith. Here’s the link, since the video won’t embed. (In fact, even if you think this whole idea up to this point is stupid, you should watch it anyway…it’s a fine film.)
Thuslike, if the collective sum of your market is an attractive blonde, and she’s surrounded by brunette 8.5’s, do not try to engage her. Always, always, always direct your attention to her underserved friends. I know, you want it all, you multifaced horse guru you: the zebra owners, the people with mini-horses, the parents who want to send their kids to horse camp. You slick your hair back, prepare a line about The Best Free Horse Tips For All Riders and grab your drink. Probably an Old Fashioned, to keep with the 1940’s theme.
But check it out: that guy next to you is planning exactly the same move. You could gamble that your banter will be wittier, or you could put on a clown nose, but keep in mind that she’ll be distracted by that other guy’s witty banter/clown nose/drink offer too. And it’s not just the two of you.
Everyone in the bar has had their attention on your girl since she walked in: it’s Nash equilibrium, and it’s tricky business.
But here’s where niche marketing comes in. If you can embrace the notion that going after “the blonde” will not ensure the highest payoff for you, you can chose to opt out of the generalist market completely. You don’t need Dr. Phil to tell you that trying to be all things to all people is disastrous. Instead, base your USP on your unique abilities with a particular market: skittish horses, or neglected brunettes, and score.
And Now: String Theory!
This practice gets even smarter with SEO and putting strings of long-tail-search terms to good use. Know your single brunette ladies. Study up on them. Who cares about landing the blonde? There’s a guy with a limo and a law firm snaking his way across the floor towards Ms. Bombshell, and you don’t need to give two shits. You’ve already established your market and it’s brunettes named Mildred. When she puts out the call for “great dude who can teach horse to Lindy Hop” and presses “search”, guess who pops up to the front of the line? Your keen self. Lookin’ good, Slick!
