Blue Elevator Blog

Choosing Channels

Not all channels are created equal.  You must go about choosing channels wisely.  Blue Elevator™ recommends choosing at least seven distinct channels for distribution.

If all of this seems like Greek to you, please read our preceding article titled Rules of Seven.

You will introduce your Deliverable in and through your selected distribution channels.

Three Key Criteria for Choosing Channels

As referenced in the Rules of Seven article, we did not create this principle.  We do have recommendations as to how to go about choosing channels.  Here are the three criteria Blue Elevator™ recommends when choosing channels:

1. Choose a channel that contains your target demographic.
2. Choose a channel with a compound source of potential customers.
3. You must deliver something of relevant value to your channels.

Choose a Channel That Contains Your Target Demographic

It is important that your target demographic reside within the channel.

For example, let’s say that you have decided to own and operate the world’s best dog grooming business.  Your next step would be to sort through good channel options for promoting your Deliverable.

A well-meaning friend suggests that you design a flyer with an introductory promotion.  He has taken the initiative to get approval from the manager of his very large apartment complex for you to distribute the promotion.  It’s perfect!  A friend who will endorse you.  And hundreds of potential customers in close proximity.

Next, you have the best marketing and promotions firm design a great flyer.  Your promotional offer is super great, too.  So, off you go to distribute your flyers.  When you get to the apartment complex, you see a sign that says “No Soliciting,” but this is perfect!  You have express approval from the manager, so your flyer isn’t going to be competing with advertising clutter from countless other marketeers.  Excitement builds.

But then you notice another sign: “Absolutely No Pets Allowed!”  So it turns out that very few, if any, of the residents would even respond to your professionally designed flyer because your target demographic (e.g., dog owners) does not even exist in your selected channel.

Choose a channel that contains your target demographic!

Choose a Channel with a Compound Source of Potential Customers

If you were planning on going fishing, would you want to fish a very large body of water with a couple of fish in it?  Or would you rather fish a smaller body of water with hundreds of fish in it?  If you want to do some catching, my guess is you would prefer the latter.

The same principle applies here.  Using the dog grooming business example, your friend’s apartment complex idea didn’t work out so well.  But providentially, the professionally designed flyer did NOT say “Special Offer for Greenwood Apartment Complex Residents.”  In fact, the design firm made it very compelling – yet wisely generic.

So what do you do with the flyers?  One, friend suggests that you go door to door in your neighborhood because of the likelihood that these homeowners might have pets.  Some of them will have dogs (and cats, and iguanas, and snakes, and birds, etc.).  This is much better than “Absolutely No Pets Allowed!”

Another friend, who happens to be a client of Blue Elevator™, has been through this same process in her business.  This friend suggests that you accompany her to the “Dog Beach” next Tuesday.  The theory is that mostly everyone there will be a dog owner.  What say you?

Choose a channel with a compound source of potential customers (in large quantities)!

You Must Deliver Something of Relevant Value to Your Channels

Here, we would like to refer you to another article called Deliver Your Deliverable.

To create relevant impressions, you need to deliver something of relevant value to your channels.  The objective is to identify at least seven distinct channels – you don’t need to devise seven different offers.

Delivering something of value will help generate traction for your business.  Intentionally offering something free helps to maximize opportunities for engagement.

You must deliver something of relevant value to your channels.

Conclusion

To make fire, you need a) fuel, b) oxygen, and c) a spark.   To accelerate business, you need to …

1. Choose a channel that contains your target demographic.
2. Choose a channel with a compound source of potential customers.
3. Deliver something of relevant value to your channels.

If you are a Member of the Blue Elevator™ Group, we’d love to collaborate with you on your channel selections and value-based offers.  Contact us here.