How many people are in your company or organization? What about your specific department? How many people within your department do what you do?
The smaller the company the smaller a department. But even with larger organizations, if you engage with the public, you typically cover a large area and the number of people within your department becomes irrelevant. We all know that there will always be limitations to how much we can effectively do in one day and how many places we can actually be. Yet, to do our job well, we strive to do it all and be everywhere which is an unrealistic goal.
In order to project the image that we are everywhere to our target market we need to think strategically. World War II was won by engaging in a strategy that laid the foundation for the Allied troops to be everywhere. This advancement strategy involved establishing a beachhead, which meant bombarding specific and strategically located points of land access in order to secure it under Allied forces. This created the epicenter that lead to the successful penetration of enemy territory and the eventual end the war. Had these strategic areas not been established initially, troops would have been spread too thin and success would have come at a much later date, if at all. There is a significant parallel to be learned in the business world with this example.
To be effective in business we need to recognize that, just like in war, we need to strategically engage within our own established “beachheads.” Determining where those business areas exist is critical to successfully and effectively penetrating our target market. Consider these areas as your “epicenters of influence.” Common areas to consider for your epicenters of influence are:
- Chambers of Commerce
- Networking & Referral Groups
- Trade Associations
- Professional Organizations
These become your epicenters where the ripple effect originates. The more involved you are, the greater the impact. We cannot expect to belong to every organization, only stopping by occasionally to drop our business card and shake a few hands. Rather, rolling up our sleeves and taking the time to get to know other professionals will help build that strong beachhead, or epicenter, that will allow you to engage on a more personal level. This personal level will in turn build trust, visibility, and credibility which will ultimately lead to greater success.
Keep it targeted.