The more you know about your prospects and clients within your target market group, the more effective you can be in positioning and aligning yourself with those individuals. There are essentially 3 principles that are required of you if you are to be effective in positioning yourself in the minds of the centers of influence and others within your target market.

1. You should know about their industry or their lifestyle segment. Often people say "no" because they don’t think you know enough about them or the challenges they face.

2. You should be able to identify that which you have in common with the people in your target market. By understanding what you have in common, you can easily communicate to them that you are working with people like them and why you feel an affinity to them.

3. You should be able to speak their language-key words, phrases and ideas that are important and central to them.

By concentrating on and developing these 3 principles, you will be able to gain access to them on a favorable basis and, most importantly, enhance your credibility in the marketplace.