Struggling to reach your target market? Before you revamp your marketing messages – or start any new campaign – take a look at these five steps for getting the word out to the right group:
- Make sure you’ve identified a specific target group (or groups)Who is your target market? Is it men, women, parents, seniors, teens, etc.? Do you have multiple targets, or different groups for different products or services? Before you create any marketing message or promotional offer, make sure you’re clear about the demographics of the group you’re trying to reach.The goal here is to eliminate those people (or groups) for whom an offer won’t be relevant. Once you know that, you can direct your marketing messages toward the people most likely to be interested and take action.
- Identify what your target group needs from youWhat problems can you solve for your target group? If you know their needs and frustrations, you can then demonstrate how you can help solve their problems. Current customers, or those who have purchased from you in the past, will already be familiar with who you are and what you offer, but you may have an opportunity to get them to buy again – or buy more frequently – if you provide special offers or a new product or service that solves a different need.
- Determine the desired action of your target audienceWhat do you want your target group to do? You probably have more than one answer to this question, but depending on your particular marketing campaign, you should have a specific action in mind.For instance, do you want your target group to take advantage of a special offer to buy your product or service? Do you want them to make a donation to your nonprofit organization? Do you want them to sign up for your email newsletter? Each marketing message should focus on a specific call-to-action: Make it very clear what action you want them to take and how they should do it.
- Identify the best channels for reaching your target groupThink about how your target market gets information. Do they watch television? Listen to the radio? Do they do online searches on a computer or mobile device?There are probably many channels you can use to reach them, but based on their habits (and your budget), figure out where they’re most likely to see and respond to your message.
- Measure, measure, measure!With any marketing campaign, it’s critical to measure results and determine effectiveness. Did your target group take action? Did sales increase? Did more people sign up for your newsletter or take advantage of your offer because of your campaign? If not, you may need to adjust your message or channels.Also, keep in mind that some campaigns are easier to track than others. With an email or online marketing campaign, it’s usually easy to track how many people opened and clicked on your message; with a direct mail piece, it can be harder to track effectiveness unless you provide people with a limited-time offer or ask them to mention the flyer or brochure to get a discount, etc.
Still need assistance in identifying and reaching your target group? Contact us!
