These differences helped Obsidian slide under the competition’s radar. The company came onto our radar because it built a scalable model with an underserved market. Like many successful companies, Obsidian didn’t try to take the competition head-on. Instead, it went around the competition.

Today, Obsidian is working with larger clients than ever across more diverse verticals than ever. It succeeded because it perfected its client process with underserved target markets.

Here are two other companies which used this same under-the-radar strategy to achieve success. One focused on getting more bang for its marketing and branding bucks. The other made noticeable moves after quietly building a company infrastructure for rapid growth.

Improve your marketing and branding outcomes

Our Director of Business Development is a 40-year veteran of launching entrepreneurial small businesses. One of his businesses involved marketing and branding consulting to regional MMA promotions.

A huge part of Dennis’ consulting success was his focus on reaching sports fans who had never considered attending an MMA event. While 10 promotions sought to reach the same 2,000 fight fans over and over, Dennis and his clients targeted 10,000 baseball, wrestling, and football fans. Dennis’ clients put 2,500-plus people in seats at each event; the competition averaged 800 attendees.

Dennis used many tactics to reach target markets; they were all based around seeking the underserved market. This strategy comes with a bonus — being perceived as the only game in town can significantly increase net profits because the right target markets served the right way may return to make more purchases. While the competition is slashing prices and fighting each other for ad space, you’re getting a much better bang for your marketing and branding bucks.

Make moves at the right time

Parabilis provides strategic lines of credit to help small business government contractors scale operations. Its competition is other non-bank lenders which have expensive fees and high rates, which makes Parabilis’ simple and transparent model very attractive to contractors, especially military veterans who relate to Parabilis’ veteran founders.

Parabilis took three steps to steadily and quietly grow. First, it designed a product that is more cost-effective and flexible compared to its competitors. Second, it let word-of-mouth create a strong core of clients. Third, it incorporates non-lending support into its suite of client services, such as making introductions to key outside partners to help clients scale faster.

Once this core was built, Parabilis began making moves for massive growth:

• Key new hires who will increase the number and quality of its clients
• A bank partner which will increase Parabilis’ net revenue.
• A Proven Media Solutions-crafted media strategy to put its brand at the front of the industry.

From MMA to M&A, seek the underserved market

Every market niche has the potential to be a source of significant revenue for a small business. The question is whether you want to face the competition openly or if you want to grow unnoticed. If you want to perfect your process at your pace, get a better bang for your marketing buck, and grow unseen, the answer is simple: seek the underserved markets.

Here are three lessons businesses and professionals can learn from the presidential trail about standing out from the competition.

Speak to people’s needs

Self-described socialist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is the oldest person on the campaign trail. However, he has enormous support among young voters, in part because he speaks to their concerns in compelling ways.

Psychologists, financial advisors, and realtors should follow the Sanders model. With so many competitors (candidates) and so many regulations (party lines) limiting what you can say, your thought leadership can stand out by talking differently about critical topics.

For example, financial advisors and realtors cannot promise where stock and real estate will go in the future. But they can get in the press or post on social media about the principles of real estate and financial investment which help families grow their wealth. Likewise, a psychologist shouldn’t predict the results of certain treatments, but he or she can and should explain why certain therapies help people overcome specific challenges.

Every bank has savings accounts, but one may stand out if they talk about how their bank can help your children get on the path to financial success.

Be prepared

Candidates have their talking points which are tailored to national, state, and demographic audiences. Each of these talking points has been rigorously developed, tested, and approved.

This reminds us of financial advisors, many of whom tell us that their messaging is limited by legal and industry regulations. Advisors should take a tip from the campaign trail and get social media and thought leadership approved well in advance because, just as politics turns full circle, so do your customers’ and clients’ concerns.

Go outside the box

Barack Obama and Donald Trump won in 2008 and 2016, respectively, by going after voters everyone else had brushed off. Business owners can do the same by going after customers in unusual ways.

For example, mixed martial arts promoters have a limited market of dedicated fans. A promoter who wants to fill the stands might seek to reach the larger market of wrestling, basketball, and hockey fans who have never considered attending an MMA fight night.

Leadership coaches may want to go outside the box by avoiding the words “leadership coaching.” Instead, a video series highlighting hiring right, training staff, and the costs of bad hiring and training could be very attractive to potential clients.

Let’s develop your campaign

You don’t have to be in politics to have a campaign. Proven Media Solutions specializes in developing campaigns which are tailored to our clients’ needs. Contact us today to get started!