Top Advice for Consumer Marketers: Avoid

Most consumer marketing strategies fail for the same reason: they try to be everything to everyone.

Brands spend millions building campaigns that appeal to the "average" customer. They create messaging bland enough to resonate broadly. They develop products designed for everyone, which means they delight no one. The result? Lost market share, confused positioning, and wasted budgets.

Matt Britton's #1 advice for consumer marketers: Avoid the middle. Own a clear space in the market. Be the obvious choice for a specific audience.

Why Targeting the Middle Fails

The middle is crowded. Every competitor is there, fighting for the same undifferentiated audience with undifferentiated messaging. It's a race to the bottom on price and a spiral of customer acquisition cost increases.

Brands that win own edges. They're explicit about who they serve and who they don't. They're willing to alienate some to attract their true audience. This isn't reckless—it's strategic clarity.

The Market's Real Structure

When you research consumer preferences deeply, you discover that markets aren't linear. They're segmented into distinct tribes with different needs, values, and preferences. The mistake most brands make is trying to bridge all these tribes instead of dominating one.

• Premium segment: Willing to pay for quality, exclusivity, and status
• Value segment: Price-conscious, wants functional benefits without frills
• Convenience segment: Prioritizes ease and accessibility above all
• Experience segment: Wants emotional connection and community
• Innovation segment: Wants cutting-edge, first-to-market

Most brands try to serve all five. Successful brands own one (or two adjacent ones) completely.

Case Studies in Positioning Clarity

Look at any dominant brand and you'll find crystal-clear positioning:

Apple: Positions for premium, design-conscious, innovation-seeking consumers. Explicitly expensive. Not for budget shoppers. That clarity makes Apple the most profitable tech company.

Target: Positions for value-conscious consumers who want design and trend-awareness without luxury pricing. Crystal clear positioning wins loyalty in a category where Walmart competes on price.

Whole Foods: Positions for conscientious consumers willing to pay for quality, sustainability, and ethics. Not competing on price. Dominant in a premium grocery segment.

Each of these owns a clear market edge. That clarity drives everything: product development, pricing, store experience, marketing messaging, customer service standards.

Building Your Own Edge

To move from the middle to market dominance, you need clarity on three things:

• Your Audience: Who is your ideal customer? Be specific. Demographics, psychographics, values, behaviors. The more specific, the better.
• Your Promise: What's your unique value proposition? What do you do better than anyone else for this specific audience?
• Your Proof: Why should they believe you? What evidence demonstrates that you deliver on your promise?

The Cost of Ambiguity

Brands stuck in the middle face predictable problems:

• Higher CAC: Unclear positioning means you must reach broader audiences to find customers
• Lower Retention: Customers don't feel deeply understood; they'll switch for slightly better value
• Slower Growth: Word-of-mouth is weak when positioning is weak; customer advocacy doesn't drive referrals
• Commoditization: Without differentiation, you compete on price; margins compress
• Talent Challenges: Best people want to work on something with clear purpose; ambiguous brands struggle to attract talent

Key Takeaways

• Choose Your Tribe: Define specifically who your ideal customer is; be willing to not serve others
• Own Your Edge: Build everything around a single, differentiated value proposition
• Be Explicit: Make your positioning so clear that customers self-select
• Defend Your Space: Don't try to expand to adjacent segments until you dominate your core
• Test Your Clarity: Can you explain your positioning in one sentence? If not, your positioning isn't clear enough

Frequently Asked Questions

What if we can serve multiple customer segments?

You can, but build separate brands or sub-brands for each segment. Don't dilute one brand trying to serve multiple masters. Clarity within one positioning is worth far more than ambiguity across multiple segments.

How do we know which segment to target?

Start with market research. Which segments are underserved? Which have purchasing power? Which align with your company's values and capabilities? Choose the intersection of opportunity and fit.

Can we reposition once we own our edge?

Yes, but expect to rebuild. Repositioning means new messaging, new product decisions, potentially new distribution. It's expensive and time-consuming. Better to choose your position thoughtfully at the start.

Ready to clarify your positioning? Consumer research reveals the segments that matter in your market and identifies your ideal positioning. Learn more from Matt's speaking, explore his book on consumer trends, or contact us to discuss your strategy.