In both sales and marketing, we often try to appeal to everyone. Traditionally, the goal is to get as many leads as possible into the pipeline because that means more sales, right?

In reality, that means more bad leads in the pipeline and more wasted time. And if you're spending time with the wrong people, you're robbing the right people of your time.

Instead, use your marketing to disqualify people who are clearly the wrong fit.

Chances are, you've noticed patterns when people are not a good fit for you and your products or services. Or maybe you've noticed patterns when people are a good fit. Incorporating those patterns into your marketing can help people who are not a good fit to disqualify themselves.

Don't try to make it sound like you're a good fit for everyone in the language on your website, email marketing, social media, and elsewhere. Instead, focus on just the people that are your ideal prospect.

Some ways to focus include:

• Testimonials only from those that fit your ideal prospect profile
• Common pain points for your ideal prospects
• Steps in your process specific to your ideal prospects
• Videos that feature people who fit your ideal prospect profile

Avoid things like:

• Generic, wish-washy language
• Images that aren't targeted to your ideal prospects
• Focusing on yourself rather than your ideal prospect

Hopefully, you get the idea. If someone who is an ideal prospect looks at any of your marketing material, they should see specific words, phrases, images, concepts, services, products, and examples that appeal to them. And if they don't fit your ideal prospect profile, it shouldn't hold the same appeal for them.

You will likely still have some conversations with people who aren't the right fit, but the amount of time wasted will significantly decrease.