Some sociologists (read: smart folks) sat down and created titles for the kinds of ‘groups’ people form. They say that InGroups are groups that people belong to or can identify with (duh!). And that Outgroups are the same but opposite…groups that somebody doesn’t belong to or identify with.
An easy way to make the connection between InGroups and OutGroups is to go back to high school. Everybody had a role, a position, a group of friends they hung out with. Depending on your InGroup, maybe you were one of the cool kids – like John Travolta in Grease, or the main characters in The Breakfast Club who were examples of both InGroups AND OutGroups!
As part of your InGroup, you undoubtedly influenced other students – both positively and negatively. And your “target,” whether you knew it or not was always an OutGroup.
The “Marketing Master’s utopia” is for you to be the InGroup, and to make the OutGroup want what you have.
There are six important aspects to creating [an InGroup] – and making that group impactful for the growth of your business:
- Gather people – Use Targeted Marketing and specific language on your postcards that single out prospects and make them feel like they aren’t ‘ordinary’. (“Because you’re a successful business owner”… “I’m reaching out to you based on your amazing achievements in the _____ industry”…”You are part of a select group”)
- Stand for something – Make the assumption that the prospect is a good person. Sounds bad, but you’ll understand. (“As someone who wants to protect our community”…”Because you value honesty in your business relationships”)
- Be a champion [for your group’s values] – Be the leader people want to follow. (“I’ve helped this community become what we see today”…”For over 40 years, we’ve run our business with one goal in mind – to help you be the best at what you do”)
- Identify the competition (opposition) – NEVER put your competition down by name. It leaves a bad taste. (“You’ll find we aren’t like the other guys”…”Uptown locations often come with Uptown Prices”)
- Keep it going – Repetition, as we’ve talked about before, solidifies your business name in the minds of prospects and repeat customers, alike. Continue to make them feel like they’re part of your special group with sales and non-sales related mailings.
- Create labels to help with group identity – One of the easiest ways to do this is by creating perceived exclusivity. (“As a Concierge Member”…”Take Advantage of Platinum Status Today”)
The same concept is alive and well in the world of Direct Mail and Marketing. And you see it every day, even though you don’t automatically think of it as ‘Us vs. Them’, or ‘InGroups vs. OutGroups’. As a business owner, however, you want to purposely create that distinction: your company, products, and services vs. those of the competition.
When given the opportunity to create a unique separation from your competition, you have to pounce. It isn’t enough to rely on just doing a great job. Especially if your product is brand-new, or your business is just getting off the ground, what’s most important is drawing in clients. You want them to ultimately be repeat clients, relying on you for whatever it is you do.
A master of the InGroup marketer today is Kylie Jenner. She absolutely portrays what her audience wants. She knows how to grab their attention, how to make them feel special (limited runs of her makeup releases sell out instantly, and possessing even a lip gloss can put her clients into a rarefied space!). The InGroup she has created is infinitely smaller than the OutGroup. And for one of the youngest billionaires in the world, that means one thing – an infinite supply of people who want what she’s got.
Give Opportunity Knocks a call at 1 (866) 319-7109! We might not be able to help you look cool in a leather jacket, or dance through a library like an Egyptian, or pick the totes adorbs shade of lip gloss. But we’ve got you covered on helping you create InGroups through Direct Mail campaigns.