Last week I discussed the importance of understanding your market and introduced an exercise called market segmentation to help you identify your target market.  This week I will introduce the second reason that marketing plans fail:  focusing on features instead of benefits. Features are those things about your product that explain what it will do – … Read more

Reason #1:  Not Knowing Your Market Trying to market to a large and general population of customers is a recipe for failure.  A better approach is to more clearly define your target market so that you can focus your time and resources.  A great way to help identify target markets is to conduct an exercise … Read more

Kevin Cain is a CPA and partner at Cain Ellsworth.  He provides clients with tax and management consulting services. Kevin has concentrated expertise working with financial institutions, manufacturers and contractors in a broad range of functions, including facilitating executive, process improvement and business strategy sessions. Kevin is currently a member of Mindshop and is working towards … Read more

Finishing our discussion on the four common mistakes that entrepreneurs make, today we will introduce the fourth common mistake:  focusing time and energy on things that don’t matter. Focusing Time & Energy on Things that Don’t Matter The last of the four common mistakes we’ll discuss is related to the first.  What is the best … Read more