by Kelly K. O'Neil
"You can have brilliant ideas, but if you cannot get them across, your ideas will not get you anywhere"
—Lee Iacocca
With no other audience than the affluent is this more true. You can have a unique and "brilliant" expertise in your industry, the greatest customer service and the most offerings for the price. But the affluent can afford to buy anyone's services, why should they choose yours? And why do you want them to?
First, it's important to realize the gravity of the affluent's wealth: as defined by the Federal Reserve Board, the affluent earn 36% of the income and control 70% of the total net worth of all US households. Clearly, they have money and they like to spend it. It is critical to position your services or communicate yourself and your company correctly to speak to this rewarding audience. For the affluent, you must market to their values. The three MOST IMPORTANT key factors to consider in establishing your positioning to the affluent are:
- Values. You must understand what they value. Just because someone has money doesn't mean that they value what you are offering. It is a myth that they will throw their money around... in fact, just the opposite. The affluent are even MORE discerning spenders. They are willing to pay premiums but only for something they value. We know from research that they value experiences, not stuff. And generally speaking, they place a very high value on their time. So if you are saving them time and money, you are their new best friend.
- Exclusivity. Precisely because they can choose any service provider, often they want one whose offerings are "unique", "one-of-a-kind" or "offered only to a few". The affluent want access to the most exclusive experiences and the most exceptional customer service and have a passionate desire for the best things in life. Often, many of these consumers perceive price as an indicator of exclusivity and value. Your positioning must reinforce in every aspect that you are a resource the masses do not have admission too and will offer them a tremendous amount of value.
- Bragging Rights. Many affluent consumers want the best, the fastest, the first, the one no one knows about and whether they would admit it or not, they love to boast about their experience. They want the emotional benefit that comes with telling their friends they are using the architect whose designs were just featured in Elle Home magazine or the personal trainer of Jennifer Aniston. Ultimately, it validates their choices and makes them feel good about the spend.
Understanding these factors, now consider your own. Remember that positioning is the perception your target audience has of your services. You have total control over this element of your marketing efforts, and it is critical to how you develop the rest of your plan.
To the affluent who are not easily influenced by mass marketing, the right positioning is not just important; it's imperative. Perception IS reality. In order to stand out, you must clearly communication your brilliance in your audience's mind.
 Kelly K. O'Neil, Chief Strategy Officer, UpLevel Strategies, Inc.
Award Winning Strategic Coach and Marketing to the Affluent Expert Kelly O'Neil publishes the 'Arrive!' weekly ezine for small service businesses and information marketers. If you are ready to learn the best strategies to market to the affluent so that you can make more money and have more freedom and fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.uplevelstrategies.com.
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