Taking the pulse of your target market and community on a regular basis is so important. Let’s face it. Every article we write, every program we create, and everything we do is designed to add value for our clients, prospects and community. It was with that in mind that I sent out a quick survey a few days ago. I shared it with my list as well as on some LinkedIn and Facebook groups. Many thanks to all of you who responded! ย As promised, I’m going to share the results with you!
Here is what I found.
The overwhelming majority of people (94%) agree that having a niche is important. Yet, only a little more than half of you (53%) have a clear niche. That leaves 47% who are unclear about their niche — they aren’t sure WHAT solution they provide and WHO they are targeting.
Less than a quarter (23%) of the respondents say they have a good understanding of their target market’s needs, challenges and desires. Even fewer (20%) feel they can clearly explain how they outshine the competition. 55% say they kind of know what differentiates them from the competition and 25% don’t know who their competitors are.
Over half of the respondents (52%) don’t have a giveaway they offer as an incentive for people to opt-in to their list. And an additional 17% only offer an ezine or newsletter. We know that a giveaway is essential for building your list and your business, and these days, a newsletter isn’t enough of an incentive for most people to give up their name and email address.
When asked what areas they would like help with, the most popular answers (with around 50% saying yes), said they would like help with their: marketing message, niche, brand, Unique Selling Proposition, giveaway and paid information product. Around 40% say they want help with their landing page and marketing funnel. 30% want help with their blog and knowing how and when to offer a free consultation.
They largely prefer to get this help via video trainings (66%), Action Guides (58%), ebooks (44%), and live Q&A calls (40%). ย Audio training was last with 24% preferring this method of delivery. Other answers include a combination of these methods, group coaching and one-on-one coaching.
What are your thoughts on this survey? What else would you like to add? Thanks for leaving your feedback below. I appreciate you!
Thanks for sharing the results of your survey. It’s interesting that video trainings are preferred by the majority. Everyone learns best in different ways, some people learn best by reading, some need to hear information, and some people need both. It’s important to keep this in mind when hosting trainings for clients, and can also help to increase conversions when information is delivered in multiple formats.
Personally, I prefer to read information in a way that allows me move forward quickly, but I love Q and A calls. Audio trainings are my least favorite as well, looks like everyone agrees with that! ๐
Hi Cheryl, A pleasure. I’m glad I could share this with others. Your point about sharing information in different ways is so true. It’s good to know that video trainings are still preferred and I love that Action Guides are a close second. If we can’t take action on what we learn, then what’s the point? thanks Cheryl!
Another timely Schulson Survey! I’m a bit surprised that nearly 70% of respondents don’t have giveaways (like you , I agree ezines or newsletters don’t count) and over half aren’t sure of their niche. But that leaves nowhere to go but UP, right Cindy! Good confirmation that video still rules. Great survey. Thank you so much!
Thanks Al! I have to say that I wasn’t surprised that nearly half the respondents don’t have a clear niche. I know how much of a sticking point that is for people. And if you don’t have a clear niche, it’s pretty much impossible to create a giveaway that is valuable for your target market. Catch-22, right? Thanks for sharing Al.
Hi, Cindy,
Thanks for both the opportunity to contribute to the survey and then providing us the results! Seeing these dramatic results makes me glad I’ve just launched my new business, providing both giveaway and paid content creation services. It appears there is a great need for such services!
Thanks much,
Jennifer Nagel
Minneapolis, MN
Thanks Jennifer and congratulations on your new business!
Hey Cindy
That is really valuable info. Thanks for sharing.
It’s quite odd because just today I was talking about how I love listening to audio as it’s so easy to do other things such as cook or drive whilst listening. So I guess I’m a minority but thought it would be useful to throw that into the mix as missed doing your survey! ๐
Hi Rachel – I agree that audio is nice because you can multi-task. It’s so easy to provide training in different formats, and I guess the lesson is to provide multiple formats to satisfy different preferences. Although if you have to choose, it looks like video is #1. thanks and warm wishes, Cindy
It’s so interesting to learn more about the community through your survey, Cindy! What a great idea to get others involved. =)
Can’t wait for what’s coming up! =)
Thanks Samantha – I’ve enjoyed getting to know you on Facebook (we have some pretty cool things in common:) and appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment here.
warm wishes,
Cindy
p.s. You’re right! There are exciting things coming up:)
Hmmm, great feedback and food for thought! Personal development, coaching, and business consultation are all ways that we as business owners can actually use to advance our businesses more quickly. There’s so much that can now be delivered based on this feedback, Cindy! ๐
Dani
Hi Dani,
I’m glad you found it helpful. I like your take on that. Whether we deliver our solutions via coaching, consulting, training or something else, we can all benefit from these insights.
thanks and warm wishes,
Cindy
Very impress… first of all, it has been my experience with surveys is that it usually takes forever to see the results if you even get to see them.
Without overstating the obvious, this information is really a gold mine for those, like myself, that fall in the higher percentage groups that need more clarity.
You providing these types of results is what this industry needs! Glad to be able to learn from being able to participate in this!
Thank you Eric! I appreciate everyone who participated in the survey and am glad to share the results. I’ve realized that helping my clients achieve Clarity is what I’m all about as a coach and the focus of everything that I do. So glad this helped bring more clarity to you!
warm wishes,
Cindy
Excellent information. The areas you surveyed on are so essential for entrepreneurs to focus on in order to build their businesses while fully serving their market. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Kathleen! I appreciate you stopping by and sharing. You’re so right. These areas are essential if we are going to make marketing ourselves easier and more effective. As the survey shows, everyone knows that finding a niche is essential but so many people are stuck on how to do that. That’s why I’ve created a step-by-step system to help entrepreneurs do that. I’ll be sharing more about that in the next couple of weeks. Thanks!
Hi Cindy,
Your program is helping a whole lot in understanding the steps in attracting a wider customer base. Thanks a million.
Hi Precious. Thanks for stopping by! Just to clarify, the goal is to narrow your focus. A lot of entrepreneurs are afraid that having a more narrow niche limits their opportunities, but the opposite is true. When you’re really clear about who you help and what you help them with, you can:
– speak directly to their needs
– gain more referrals
– attract strategic alliance partners
– create products and programs aimed at your niche
– become more of an expert
– raise your rates
I’ll be sharing more on how to do that in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!
Hi Cindy, coming in late on this one. Thank you for publishing the survey results. I really relate to the comment made that you have to cater for all learning styles in what you offer to your niche or anyone. Personally I too like to read instructions and I do get frustrated when information is only presented in a video or audio format even though I love listening to audio. Having been in video/audio production I know the key to learning is to listen again and again. I don’t want to have to watch or listen over and over again. I want to be able to print-out and highlight information and keep for future reference. Judging by the number of video only presentations on the web, I think I must be in the minority. Having said all that I am about to step right out of my comfort zone and start adding video to my own site. If you can’t bet them join them:).
LOL – great point Wendy. I used to prefer written material but I’m joining the video crowd. In one of my programs I have video training combined with Action guides. I also include the powerpoint slides so people can take notes. I could include a transcript as well but am not sure how much people would use that. Thoughts anyone? thanks!
I think if it’s a training someone has signed on for that’s fine to have it as you say. However, if it is an unsolicited video, purporting to have valuable information, it needs at least a summary of what is included as well as the title. Frankly and this personal – I own it completely, I just can’t be bothered viewing a video in the hope it will have something relevant for me. I want to know what it covers which takes me 10 seconds to read, rather than have to listen for ten minutes to find out.
Great conversation!
I agree Wendy, especially for unsolicited videos. Here’s the caveat. If it’s someone I know delivers value then I will gladly invest the time to listen. thanks for sharing!
Hi Cindy
Thanks for sharing your results. Very interesting results. I was interested to know how many responses you got. I’ve had very poor responses to surveys in the past (under 10 people). Also as I didn’t receive on (I wasn’t in any of your contact groups until today) did you have an incentive to complete it?
Hi Olamide,
Thanks for your comment. I sent the survey to my list (just one email about it) and shared it on a few LinkedIn groups and a Facebook group. Over 100 people responded and I probably could have waited a bit and had more people reply but I think the results were very clear. I did offer an incentive – one person who completed the survey won a free coaching session with me. I think people also really appreciated that I shared the results so everybody could learn together.
I hope that helps. thanks and warm wishes,
Cindy
Nice survey Cindy. Thanks for sharing.
The money move sounds like a Video Training with Accompanying Action Guide (or workbook perhaps).
๐
Thanks Kenn. I agree and thank heaven that is exactly what I provide in Your Clear Path to Ideal Clients Bootcamp – video training plus Action Guide, I also include live support as well which I think is so valuable. To really achieve results, that combination of Training + Action + Support is unbeatable!
I’m surprised about the audio recordings – that is one of my favourite ways of learning.
You’re not alone Laura! I had several people request that I add MP3 recordings to my programs, Your Clear Path to Ideal Clients and TALI, so they could listen on the go. I thought it was a great idea so now I always include an MP3 in any program I create. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Cindy,
I am favourably (Canadian spelling) impressed by the high quality of the information you are sending me and by the quality of the related responses.
I am in the early stages of editing a workbook, Fundamentals of Better Writing, that I have used in classroom training, to make it suitable for use in pod casts.
My niche is helping.people to write clear, concise documents and to translate unclear, wordy documents they are obliged to understand into Plain English.
Thank you for the privilege of receiving your communications.
Thank you Ron! I grew up in Canada so I appreciate the “u” in favourably, and I greatly appreciate your kind words.
Warm wishes,
Cindy