We are starting to put the FRAME model into action. The first step is to "Focus."

"The acronym FRAME stands for Focus, Realize, Adjust, Mount, and Exhibit. The model is a tool for quickly implementing the strategic approach that products and services require in their branding journey. FRAME is a methodology that is adaptable enough to be used by businesses of all sizes while remaining simple enough to be used by non-marketing professionals."

I introduced the FRAME model with the article "What is the FRAME marketing model?" I would like to paraphrase the article's definition of "Focus"

Focus

Focus refers to the process of expressing which problem your product or service solves for the consumer. This process includes product and service features, why these features are needed, customer and end user definitions, and detailed persona analysis. The goal here is to identify who is going to buy our product. To learn their expectations.

If we agreed on the definition, I would like to talk about how important it is and how to do it right after.

Why does the "Focus" phase matter so much?

The "Focus" phase is the first part of every successful marketing plan. It requires a close look at the brand's customers, the market, and other brands in the same field. During this stage, we learn about the different needs and wants of customers and put them into different groups based on that information. One concrete result of this step is the creation of personas to represent these different groups.

If you want to make a strategy that will work in the field, you have to go through the Focus phase. This is where the critical information that will guide how the marketing plan is carried out and the understanding that will influence decision-making begin to emerge.

If the brand wants to understand the market, the customers, and the various segments of customers, it must invest in this step and discover how it solves and will solve the customer's problems. 

How does it all work?

The easiest thing to say about the result of the FOCUS step is, "Which problem are we solving for which customer?" Until this is clear, we are talking about a process that we go through by taking steps forward and sometimes backward based on feedback. This process is a way to clarify a focus. First, you create a persona. Then, you look at the market and your competitors and update it. Then, you enter segments. Then, you learn more about it and focus on the persona again. First, let us talk about personas.

Customer Personas

Customer personas are made-up characters that help us figure out who the brand's customers are and what they want and need. The goal is to make the strategy easier to understand, or to flesh it out. When we talk about personas, we just think about who our customers are. We try to learn what they do each day and how they feel about our product. We look at what drives and motivates them and try to figure out what is stopping them from buying our brand. We look at all the ways they interact with us and try to improve their experience.

Market Analysis

When we do market analysis, we look at the current state of the market, the trends that are changing it, what our competitors are doing, and if there is a chance to say something new. We do an analysis of the brands that already exist and the opportunities for new brands. During this step, we look for answers to roughly the following questions:  

Is the market showing signs of growth? What do the numbers show? What is the competitor's market position? How is the distribution system? Is the product easily available on the market? Is it dependent on other goods? Are there any moral or legal limits? Are there communication restrictions and guidelines? How is this business run in other countries? What are the global trends and cultural changes?

Competitor Analysis

Analysis of competitors is a key part of strategy. To figure out how to be different from our competitors, we need to know how they run their businesses, what their value proposition is, and how they communicate. By looking at their products, services, prices, and overall marketing strategy, we can find areas where we can create a competitive advantage. Knowing where our competitors are strong helps us predict what they will do when we try to get their attention with marketing and advertising. A good strategy is one that gives the brand an edge over the competition as a result of research into the methods and actions of those rivals.

Segmentation

We have researched the market, looked at the competition, and created personas of our ideal customers. It is time to do some market research and figure out how to divide up our customer base into more manageable pieces. Customers can be put into groups based on how they act and what they think. We can make it easier for personas to be part of the strategy by giving these groups unique names and codenames. It is important to remember that segmentation also helps find opportunities that can be used to increase market penetration and improve customer loyalty and satisfaction. By dividing customers into groups, we can create a good strategy that will work in the market and give customers the best experience possible. 

It's time to fill the frame

This is the last part of the Focus step. It is time to say this in a clear and simple way:

"Which problem are we solving for which customer? or, in other words, "who and what are we framing?"

Before moving on to the "Realize" step, we can make a simple list of the answers to the questions we asked over and over in the previous steps:

• We solve segment A's X problem.

• We solve segment B's Y problem.

• The X and Y problems of segment C are solved.

And now, at the end, we will put together all the information and decide on the picture that will go inside the frame. Who is the main character in the picture in the frame, and what problem are we solving for that character? What story will this frame tell. 

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It might be a little complicated. You have nothing to worry about. The next article will take the first steps toward making a persona. Then the other steps. You can follow marketingmodel.com by clicking on the link.