The Santa Barbara Web Design and Marketing Blog

Welcome to Traffic Tuesday: Unlocking Customer Growth with Adjacent Marketing

As business owners, marketers, and web professionals, we’re always searching for that golden opportunity—where to connect with new customers, how to win them over before our competitors enter the conversation, and most importantly, how to make our brands unforgettable at critical decision-making moments. On today’s Traffic Tuesday, we’re diving into a powerful concept that can transform your marketing strategy overnight: adjacent marketing and the importance of meeting your customers at the precise moment they’re problem aware—before they even start searching for solutions.

Last week, we explored the concept of the “awareness letter,” a classic marketing technique that segments your audience into stages of awareness: from completely unaware to most aware of solutions. Today, we’re taking a practical turn and showing how you can get ahead of the curve—crafting messages and campaigns that find your customers before they know exactly what they need.

Let’s break down what this means, why it works, and the precise steps you can take—starting now—to implement adjacent marketing in your own business.

Understanding the Spectrum of Customer Awareness

Let’s start with a basic principle in modern marketing: every customer lives somewhere on the spectrum of awareness regarding your product or service. Legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz popularized this breakdown:

1. Completely Unaware: They don’t even know they have a problem.

2. Problem Aware: They realize they have an issue, pain, or need.

3. Solution Aware: They start seeking out ways to fix that issue.

4. Product Aware: They know about specific products/services, maybe even yours.

5. Most Aware: They’re ready to buy, fully briefed.

Most marketers fight over customers at the solution aware and product aware stages. Customers in these groups are searching Google for answers, comparing competitors, combing through online reviews—all decision points swarming with rival brands and high advertising costs.

What if you could flip the script and reach your ideal customers sooner—when they’re acutely aware of the problem but haven’t started hunting for solutions? That’s where the magic happens. And it’s why adjacent marketing is so powerful.

What is Adjacent Marketing?

Adjacent marketing is the art and science of promoting your product or service in spaces where your ideal customer already is—but before they’ve become “solution shoppers.” Instead of waiting for them to search for you (and get swallowed by competitors), you position yourself in their journey when they’re simply aware of the problem. You offer insight, value, and solutions before they even realize what options the market holds.

Let’s use a simple example:

Suppose you’re a dentist offering teeth whitening services. Instead of only advertising alongside other teeth whiteners or after Google searches for “best teeth whitening,” you look at your ideal customers upstream: people thinking about their appearance, preparing for a wedding, updating their LinkedIn headshots, learning how to look better on YouTube or Instagram videos, planning a big event, or even searching for dermatologists.

When your brand appears in these spaces—directories, related blogs, event planning resources—you’re not fighting competitors head-to-head. You’re becoming the first voice, the expert guide, and someone linked directly to your prospects’ personal aspirations.

Why Adjacent Marketing Beats Waiting for Google Searches

1. Less Competition, Lower Cost: The solution-aware phase is a battleground. Google Ads, comparison charts, review sites—they’re dense, expensive, and put you in a price war with similar providers. Catching customers in the problem-aware stage means less noise and less cost per acquisition.

2. Authority and Trust: By showing up “early” in your customer’s journey, you become the knowledgeable ally—not just another salesperson. You build relationships and establish credibility before anyone else does.

3. Control the Narrative: Adjacent marketing enables you to frame the problem and suggest outcomes that connect to your brand’s strengths. The story starts with you rather than your competition.

4. Shape Demand: Sometimes, your customer doesn’t even know a solution like yours exists. Adjacent content and offers can spark that “aha!” moment.

Finding Your Adjacent Markets: The Questions to Ask

It’s easy to say “find where your customer is before they need you,” but how do you put this into action?

Start by mapping out your customers’ broader interests, anxieties, and goals. These are their “adjacent” needs and the crossroads where you can place your message.

Here are questions to guide you:

- What are your customers doing immediately before they need your solution?

- What related problems, frustrations, or desires do they express?

- What other services or products might they consider or research first?

- What life events, transitions, or business stages push them toward you?

- Where do they seek information, advice, or support at each stage?

CASE STUDY: Dentist & Teeth Whitening

Let’s revisit the dentist example. Your primary offer: teeth whitening. Traditionally, you might target:

- People searching “teeth whitening near me”

- Those comparing dental services

- Shoppers on deal sites

But your adjacent markets could be:

- Brides/grooms seeking wedding planning tips

- Executives preparing for professional photography

- Social media influencers learning about on-camera presence

- Dermatology patients improving their overall appearance

- Fitness enthusiasts exploring total body transformations

For each adjacent market, you identify their hangouts: wedding blogs, photographer portfolios, influencer forums, dermatology newsletters, fitness Facebook groups.

How do you show up? Content partnerships, paid ads, blog sponsorships, guest articles, or even joint webinars.

CASE STUDY: SaaS Automation Tools

Suppose you develop automation tools for small businesses. The obvious direct market: companies searching “best business automation tool.” But in adjacent markets, you might:

- Target HR leaders reading about time management

- Small business owners looking up “how to grow my business without hiring more people”

- Solopreneurs struggling with burnout

- Bookkeepers drowning in manual data entry

- Event planners researching better productivity

Again, map out their go-to resources and build bridges.

How to Put Adjacent Marketing into Practice

Ready to get started? Here’s a step-by-step process to spark ideas and launch your first campaign:

1. Clarify Your Core Problem and Solution

Start with your key offer: What does it solve? Write this out clearly. Example: “We help business owners save hours a week by automating repetitive invoicing tasks.”

2. Build an Adjacency Map

List all the life stages, business tipping points, and related interests that your ideal customer experiences. Think about:

- Trigger events: What happens just before they need you?

- Parallel goals: What else are they striving for?

- Overlapping purchases: What else do they buy?

- Cross-industry connections: Who else serves them?

Use brainstorming tools, customer interviews, or feedback surveys. (AI engines like ChatGPT can also help generate adjacency ideas.)

3. Locate Your Customers Upstream

For each adjacent market, ask:

- What websites, blogs, or online communities do they frequent?

- Which local events, classes, or conferences do they attend?

- What podcasts or YouTube channels do they subscribe to?

- Which directories, associations, or influencers do they turn to?

- What products and services are they already using?

4. Craft Contextual Content and Offers

Once you know where to show up, create content or offers that speak directly to this new stage. Don’t simply advertise your main offer; instead, address the adjacent need and gently guide toward your solution.

Examples:

- Guest blog: “5 Ways to Shine in Your Wedding Photos (And Why a Bright Smile Matters Most)”

- Webinar with a photographer: “How Executives Can Nail Their Headshots for LinkedIn”

- Sponsored post in a fitness group: “Total Transformation—Don’t Forget Your Smile!”

- Infographic for dermatologists: “Completing Your Confidence Makeover: Don’t Overlook Your Smile”

5. Collaborate with Adjacent Players

Partnerships are gold in adjacent marketing. Partner with professionals and influencers who serve your audience just before they need you. Offer value, not just pitches.

- Dentists partnering with wedding planners and photographers

- Automation SaaS companies co-marketing with virtual assistants

- Gym trainers hosting joint workshops with nutritionists

6. Test and Measure

Start small. Create a pilot campaign—or even just some tailored content—for your chosen adjacent market. Measure:

- Engagement rates (clicks, shares, comments)

- Lead volume and quality

- Conversion rates compared to direct campaigns

- Cost per acquisition

Refine your message, appearance, and partnerships over time.

Advanced Strategies: Using Automation and AI in Adjacent Marketing

As we step into an age of automation and artificial intelligence, these tools are supercharging adjacent marketing.

Here’s how:

- Audience Insights: AI can analyze your existing customers and surface hidden patterns—common interests, buying journeys, and even the other products they research.

- Content Creation: Tools like ChatGPT can brainstorm, write, and personalize adjacent-themed blog posts, email campaigns, or even video scripts.

- Ad Targeting: Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn let you target by behaviors (recently engaged, planning to move, starting a business), enabling hyper-specific adjacent campaigns.

- Workflow Automation: Use automation tools to segment incoming leads based on referral source (for example, knowing someone arrived via a wedding planning blog triggers a specialized nurture sequence about smile makeovers for weddings).

The Mindset Shift: Stop Chasing, Start Guiding

The key to explosive growth—and a more gratifying marketing experience—is proactive engagement. Instead of chasing prospects already overwhelmed by options, become the friendly expert who greets them before they even realize what products or providers to Google.

This early touchpoint gives you permission to educate, influence, and build a higher-value relationship. Your brand isn’t an afterthought—it’s the obvious first choice.

Let’s Recap

- The real battleground isn’t where everyone else is competing; it’s where your customers start thinking about their needs, not about solutions.

- Adjacent marketing means showing up in spaces, conversations, and communities “next door” to your core offer.

- These moments are less competitive, more personal, and position you as a trusted authority.

- Finding your adjacent markets requires empathy, creativity, and mapping your customer’s full journey.

- Use partnerships and smart content to bridge the gap. Leverage automation and AI for efficiency and insight.

- Ultimately, you control the conversation—and reap the rewards.

Your Traffic Tuesday Challenge

Today, don’t just look in familiar places for new customers. Dive into the world of adjacent marketing. Pick one group, one event, or one community where your ideal client might be—before they need you. Come up with a way to show up, educate, and build those early relationships.

Because when you master the art of showing up first—not loudest—you win not just the sale, but the trust that leads to lifelong customers.

Thank you for joining this Traffic Tuesday. For more insights, hands-on training, and powerful marketing tips, stay tuned. Until next time, keep guiding, keep growing, and keep showing up where it counts!