A while back, I had pain in my knee from an old injury. It was enough that I needed to take some pain killers.

I went to the drug store and found a wall of ibuprofen. Extra strength, regular, small, large, store brand, Advil, Motrin, other brands, you name it. The store had way more options than anyone could realistically want or need.

And then I saw one that stood out. It was for joint and muscle pain.

Perfect, I thought.

So, I grabbed one and was about to walk to the cash register. But it had me wondering: were the ingredients in this variation any different than the rest?

It turns out, they were not. It was 100% ibuprofen like the rest.

But I bought it anyway. And I think I paid an extra buck or two in the process. No idea why, but it got me thinking.

In a world full of options, where it’s hard to compare one thing to the next, the option that is the most specific to my individual needs will always get my attention.

I may not always buy the thing, but at least I will be on the short list because it reaches out, speaks to my unique situation, and directly proposes a solution to my needs.

Would you rather be one of a hundred options, differentiated only by (metaphorical) size, price, packaging, strength, brand, etc.?

Or do you want to be the one that solves specific problems for specific types of people?

You know what camp I’m in. That’s why you’re here and not reading some generic marketing advice.

And yet there are relatively few spaces I see taking the “risk” by getting specific. The ones who do, however, seem to be highly successful.

Get specific about who you serve and what problem you solve. It will make your marketing easier, not harder.