Always, always, always start with defining your target market.
My father told me once good seller can sell an ice to Eskimo. Perhaps he was right but why you should do that? Isn’t easier to find who really needs your products, services or skills? If you make an effort to show all the world what you suggest, you just waste your time, money and ability.
Let’s start with basic – do you know the difference between target market and target audience?
Target market – according to the dictionary – this is a particular group of consumers at which a product or service is aimed.
The target audience is the people you’re selling to.
I’ll explain this with a simple example. In the winter my son and his friends wear warm hats. They are hat’s manufacturer target market. But parents are people who buy these hats for our little boys – we are the target audience. When hat’s creators decide to make advertising they show their spot in kids channel but mostly in magazines and TV programs for grown people.
Use your target market language.
Always think about your target market – who they are, how they live, where, what is their specific slang… If you sell medicine for a sore throat it’ll be ridiculous to use words like Cool, Hundo P, Savage…
If you sell energy drink describes like “good for your health” will be out of place. There aren’t product or service which are good for everybody. Don’t waste your time, focus only on your target market.
But how to figure out who are your customers? Is this possible?
Actually – Yes! With some help.
- Site statistic.
Every website has a statistic, from which you could discover the age, the gender of your visitors, where do they live, how did they find you, what they search in your site, how much time they spend in your site…
- Connect with your customers.
When I meet someone new I ask questions about getting to know him. You should do the same. Ask your customers about them via phone, mail, a special poll on your site, on your Facebook page… There’re many opportunities.
- Speak to your employees.
Your employees are people who meet your customers every day. They know what are their problems, what they ask frequently, even what they expect from you.
- Watch out your Competition.
Pay attention to your competition steps. Not to follow them but to know who they direct their efforts and to whom isn’t.
You couldn’t imagine how much you can learn about your customers if you did this effort. Like they are your closest friends. You will know not only their ages, gender, are they married, did they have children, what are their occupation, where they live, but also what are their hobbies, goals, problems, and of course – how you can help them.
You can I summarize three representative profiles of your main clients. That’s enough for small business. For example, if you’re the one who sell kid’s hat your three main clients will be young mothers – housewives, grandmothers – retired and other women – friends of young mothers. All of them probably will live in your shop’s neighborhood. If you sell helmets your customers will be completely deferent.
The easiest way to make these profiles is using special software. You can find free platforms also.
Then start to show your advertising especially to these special clients using social media, Google AdWords, and places where these women can see your advertising – in web and in the real world.
I guarantee the time spent will not be a waste of time. It will thank you back for an increase in sales and business development.
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