My first website online was developed to support my career consulting business. It’s still functioning as midlifecareerstrategy.com
After I started offering copywriting and storytelling for small businesses, I decided to keep the websites separate.
I learned to ask these questions:
(1) Imagine that in a story a member of one audience is talking to a member of the other audience.
In my example a career change client wants to talk to a business client. The career changer realizes that starting a business is a reasonable alternative to seeking a corporate position. There’s some synergy there.
But now the business client speaks to the career changer. We can imagine that, in this exchange, the business client won’t be patient with the career changer. “I’ve already solved my career problems,” says the business client. “I just want to know how to make this happen.” The business client — usually a solopreneur or small business owner — doesn’t have time for the career changer. Business people don’t give away their time for free; at least the successful ones don’t.
So it’s not surprising that a career change client won’t mind if they learn I also work with business owners on marketing, copywriting, and storytelling. But the reverse isn’t true. A business owner won’t seek advice from a career coach. I’ve had people tell me, “I picked up this book or that article. The first sentence said it’s for “career changers and business owners.” I was put off by the mention of career changers.” Or, “The business audience often cares. In one live presentation, I opened with the statement, “You can use this in your career or in your business.” One person said, “I almost tuned out as soon as I heard the word ‘career.’ I sensed this was not for me.”
So I naturally made the decision to keep the websites — and the audiences — completely separate.
(2) But suppose your business has two audiences: yoga teachers and yoga students.
A student says, “You also teach yoga teachers? You must be very good.”
The teacher says, “You work with students? You must be very hands-on.”
Students and teachers of yoga have a lot to say to each other. so you can make one website for yoga students and yoga teachers. .
This question comes up when clients say, “I’ve started a new sideline. I don’t want to go through the hassle of building a new website.
(3) You have two characters, one from each audience. Even if they don’t hate each other, will at least one wonder, “What’s he doing here?” So a business owner won’t know what the career changer is doing in thir story. “I thought this was a story about business. What is this career-changer doing here?”
Some people have even wider divergences. I met a woman who’s a real estate agent and who also makes jewelery. I can just imagine a home buyer asking, “What’s that person doing here, asking about jewelery?” It’s not clear whether the ewelery buyer will be bothered by the real estate client. I imagine her saying, “You’re here for a house? I just want a pair of earrings.”
“It depends.”
In summary, as with most marketing questions, the answer depends on your audience. Therefore ideally, business owners need to prioritize interactions with prospects and clients. Join the conversation in the client’s mind.
Wondering how to do this? Get started with a story. Click here to begin The Client Advatage: Discovering What Really Motivates Your Clients.
Or start with a free tip sheet: https://cathygoodwin.com/baggage
