they want. For instance, have you ever known someone that went to the store to buy a pair of pants that they needed and came back with a new shirt, sweater, and shoes? Or how about the everyday shopper who goes into the supermarket to buy some milk and eggs, and comes out with a frozen pizza, cheesecake, and other goodies?   People will buy what they want (even if they dont have the money!), not what they need. And yes, this even applies to those "sophisticated" corporate honchos (I should know. I used to be one.).   ** Sidebar End **   To really get to know your customers youll need to ask yourself questions such as:   How does my potential customer normally buy similar products? (e.g. in a store, on the Web, door-to-door)   Who is the primary buyer and the primary buying influencer in the purchasing process? (e.g. husband or wife, purchasing agent, project leader, secretary)   What kind of habits does my customer have? For instance, where do they get their information? (e.g. television, newspapers, magazines)   What are my target customers primary motivations for buying? (e.g. looking good, avoiding pain, getting rich, being healthy, being popular, etc.)     Step 3 - Pick a Niche   If you say that your target customer is "everybody" then nobody will be your customer. The marketplace is jam-packed with competition. Youll have more success jumping up and down in a small puddle than a big ocean.   Carve out a specific niche and dominate that niche; then you might consider moving on to a second niche (but not before youve dominated the first one!). You could be a "lawyer that specializes in child accident liability" or a "CPA for used car dealers" or a "dry cleaner for the Heritage Park subdivision in West Oaks, CA." You get the picture. Make sure to choose a niche that interests you and that is easy to contact. I cant stress this point enough.   Theres nothing more destructive than to pick a niche that you cant communicate with or that costs you a ton of money to contact.   Step 4 - Develop Your Marketing Message   Your marketing message not only tells your prospect what you do, but persuades them to become your customer. You should develop two types of marketing messages. Your first marketing message should be short and to the point. Some may call this your elevator