Where’s Waldo?
What comes to mind when you hear “Where’s Waldo”?
I bet that the images that flash in your mind include a red and white striped shirt, or a red and white striped hat, or a tall and lanky body. Or if you happen to be the very observant type, you might also see images of black round-rimmed glasses, brown hair, blue jeans.
And I bet that if you go out and ask 20 people to describe Waldo, there’s a high chance that you’d get very, very similar answers.
So, what’s so special about Waldo?
There’s a certain something distinct about Waldo. No matter where he is. In fact, if you google “Where’s Waldo”, you’ll quickly find that Waldo criss-crosses borders, generations, and cultures. There’s even whole websites dedicated to the art of Waldo-finding.
The thing with Waldo is that there’s never any doubt that he’s there. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking in the heart of New York City during rush hour. Or in the market places of a medieval fantasy land. Or in the crowded sidewalks of Rio de Janairo.
You know that it’s only a matter of time before you find him. It’s like a treasure hunt. You have to hunt and peck. And you have to develop your eagle eyes so that you can spot Waldo.
But the security of knowing that Waldo is always there is what makes it fun. It’s also what makes the looking playful.
But there are times when it’s not so fun to be looking and looking and looking
Especially when you’re not sure you’re ever going to find what you’re looking for.
You know that knot that twists and turns in your stomach when you suddenly realize that you have no idea where your next customer is going to be coming from? Or that tightness in your chest when facing a crowded room at a business networking event and you wonder if you should have just stayed home?
If you’ve ever felt this way, then you’re in good company. Many small business owners have experienced the feeling of being lost at sea when it comes to looking for customers. In fact, it’s almost a right of passage for enterpreneurs.
Luckily, there is a way out of the fog and bog of that dreaded customer hunt.
What if there was a Waldo for your business?
Image what your marketing and networking would be like if you had a Waldo-like clarity about who your customer was. What she looked like, dressed like, talked like, walked like, thought like?
What if – instead of fretting about IF you’ll find your Waldo, you have 100% confidence that he’s there and that you’re simply on a playful, treasure hunt.
What if – all you needed to do was work on strengthening your eagle vision muscles.
That, in a nutshell, is exactly what marketing should be for your business. It’s the tunnel vision that gives you focus and clarity. And it’s the tunnel vision that makes your message stand out because it posseses both depth and expertise.
So how do you create your Waldo?
You don’t have to be an artist to create your Waldo. In fact, you don’t have to use your imagination at all.
Here are 4 simple steps to creating a Waldo for your business.
1. Identify someone (a real person) who is your ideal customer. And by ideal, I am referring to someone who you respect, who is looking for what you offer, and most importantly someone who you truly believe – from the bottom of your heart – that you can help.
2. Interview this person – either in person of via phone. Treat the interview as if you were on a first date and ask her about her desires, dreams, hopes. What kinds of food does she like? What music does she listen to? What movies does she watch? What is she afraid of? What kinds of things is she looking for in your field? What negative experiences has she had with others in your field?
3. Review the interview and transcribe (ideally) or take detailed notes on what your ideal customer shared. Use this information to create a Waldo profile that you can use as the centerpiece of your business. This is your Waldo. You know she exists. There’s no room for doubt now.
4. When you are ready to create web copy, or marketing material, or any products or services – use your Waldo profile as your filter and ask yourself. How would this support my Waldo in getting she wants and needs?
Waldo and the beauty of the marketing flip-flop
So, once you have your Waldo, does this mean once you should hunt her down like a predator looking for his prey?
Absolutely not!
And this is the secret magic of Waldo-fying your business. It’s the beauty of the marketing flip-flop.
You see, for many small business owners, marketing is all about diluted hope. They want to reach anyone. Everyone. Someone. So they go about looking in nooks and crannies. Hoping against hope that when they turn the next rock over, a customer will suddenly appear.
You see, once you develop the crystal clarity about who your Waldo is, then the flip-flop magic happens.
What Waldos and Mothers have in common
Have you ever been in a crowded playground with gaggles of children running around laughing and screaming? And where the parents are hanging out around the edges, chatting and talking. To most people passing by, it would look like the parents are not paying any attention to their kids.
But if you observe the parents very carefully, you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon. If you watch the parents, you’ll see sudden jerks in the head and body language of the parents. No, it’s not a muscle spasm. It’s simply the finely tuned ear of a mom hearing her child calling for her.
You see, no matter how crowded the playground is, I can guarantee that every parent knows the distinctive cry of his or her child. It may be just another hum in the soundscape to the the innocent person walking by on the sidewalk. But to a mom or dad, the sound of their children calling their name is as clear as a foghorn out at sea.
And that is the same transformation that finding your Waldo will do for your business. Your marketing and outreach will be like the voices of children calling for their parents.
And if you observe very carefully, you’ll notice a phenomenon starting to happen. You’ll no longer have to do the hunting and pecking.
Soon, the right customers will start to look for you. Because as soon as they come across your marketing, even with their oversaturated lives, it will speak to them as clearly as a child were calling to his mother.
