Part of developing a marketing strategy for my clients involves gaining a complete understanding of their target audience. Unfortunately, most businesses fall into a familiar trap that prevents them from reaching valuable prospective customers.
As part of our marketing consultation, we ask our clients – Who is your ideal customer?
Their answer – Anyone looking for (insert client’s product or service).
The problem with this is that it’s way too general in nature. How can you possibly develop a successful marketing campaign when you’re trying to attract “anyone”?
If you do try to attract anyone, chances are you’re wasting a lot of time and money on campaigns than you should. By having a better understanding of your target audience, you can have a better idea of who you’re marketing to and how to reach them.
When marketing to your target audience, some of the information that is important to know includes:
– Gender
– Location
– Income Level
– Interests
For example, if you’re selling a high priced item, you won’t have much success marketing to those in a lower income bracket. Or if you’re selling items related to cold weather, you probably won’t have much success selling to people in the southwest portion of the States.
The more knowledge you have about your audience, the more power you have to reach them more effectively. Not only will this lead to improved sales but you’ll also be able to have a clear message within your marketing campaigns, which will help you to avoid wasting money on ineffective advertising.
