Do you really know your target audience and what motivates them to buy? If you don’t, then you’re missing out on revenue and profit opportunities.

Not knowing the wants and needs of your target audience reduces your ability to develop a product or service that provides solutions to their wants and needs. Add to that, your pricing, selling points, and promotional efforts may all be off the mark and hurt your ability to generate sales. Being off-target also means you are wasting a good portion of your advertising dollars because your message does not connect with and motivate your audience.

Figuring out your target audience

It’s important to understand your buyer – whether it’s direct-to-consumer or B2B. If you want to improve your return-on-marketing efforts, there are some basic steps you can take at minimal to no cost. Here are questions you should be able to answer, recognizing that your product or service may cater to multiple target audiences.

Demographics: In addition to influencing product/service development and pricing, these factors have a strong impact on your choice of advertising and communication vehicles, and the corresponding language and imagery.

• What percent of your customers fall within what age ranges? A 20+ year old does not make purchase decisions like a 40+ or 60+ year old.
• Income levels. Are they low-income, middle, affluent?
• Education. High school, some college, BA, MBA?
• Ethnicity- cultural factos influence purchasing behavior and customer loyalty.
• Religion-can determine what a customer can purchase, e.g. the Jewish faith with kosher food requirements.
• Gender-Men and women don’t make buying the decisions the same way (surprise!)
• Martial status- different decisions factor can weigh in when married vs. single.

Most of this free information is available through the U.S. Census Bureau online, and can be looked at nationally, regionally or locally. If your target audience is a business, you can also research industry trends and statistics that will influence the buying behavior of companies within that segment; such data is often available through trade publications.

Another powerful tool you have at your fingertips is the customer survey. Properly designed, you can gather a wealth of data about your target audience. But an important caveat: GIGO (garbage in-garbage out). If the survey isn’t correctly designed, the information may be of little use – or even worse, send you off in the wrong direction.

A final note

Target audiences are a moving target (no pun intended). Customers are constantly evolving in response to changing situations and stimuli. Examples: The Great Recession shrank consumer buying power. Technology and automation are shrinking demand for employees. A global economy means companies are forced to look beyond their country’s borders at both opportunities and competition.

Are you boring when it comes to presenting your business to prospects? If so, you may be encouraging them just to choose you based on price.

Too often, neither printed materials nor a website markets a company as effectively as they could because the choice of words fails to differentiate the firm from the competition. Given that statistics indicate that 80% of people now check out a company’s website to learn more about them, it’s vital to realize that it’s not just what you say, but how you say it, that can make a tremendous difference.

Let’s start with three common points that everybody seems to say – and see if you recognize yourself.

• “We provide great customer service.”- Do you know anybody who announce they provide lousy customer service?
• “We care about our customers.” Well, I certainly hope so! But isn’t this a given-unless you are doing something remarkable.
• “We do our work with pride and integrity.” Isn’t this expected of you?

I call these “So what?” selling points, because they are a given – of course you do this. The problem is that when you rely on these as your key selling points, you sound like everybody else out there. That means customers are more likely to compare your products or services based on price. Which you don’t want.

Instead, you want them to compare you on value – all the additional end-benefits they get by working with you, instead of a competitor. Stuff you can’t necessarily put a price on, but implies that the quality of your product or service will be far superior.

You want to stand out. How do you do that? By writing your copy from the viewpoint of the customer. In other words, how does your product or service satisfy their wants and needs? That’s what a prospect is really looking for when they are learning about you – how do you fulfill their needs better than somebody else? It’s all in the language.

Look at it this way – a BMW has 4-wheels and an engine; so does a VW Bug. They are both cars that get you where you want to go. Why do some people by one or the other? Because the language is written specifically to “push the hot buttons” of the target audience. Not only what they need in a car, but what they want in a car. One of these wants is what the cars say to others about them. Such as, “Look at me!”, “Wouldn’t you like to be as successful as I am?”, “I like to have fun,” “I’m environmentally conscious.”

Some simple real life examples:

Picture framing company

• Typical selling point: “We have a great slection of frames at great prices.”
• End-benefit oriented selling point: “Make your picture stand out with our extensive selection of frames designed to fit every budget.”

Painter

• Typical: Satisfaction guaranteed. Free estimates.
• End-benefit: Making homes look beautiful for over 20 years.

Dentist

• Typical: Your comfort and satisfaction is our goal.
• End-benefit: Come in for a great smile.

Your choice of words is one of your most critical marketing tools. Watch your language!

We all know that a loyal customer is priceless. The old 80/20 rule puts it best: 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers. But if you don’t take care of them, you risk losing them to a competitor.

Know who they are. This may seem obvious, but I am often surprised at how companies don’t keep track of their best customers. If you don’t know, then it’s time to find out. Identify your best customers by a specific measurement, such as sales, profits, business size, frequency of visits, etc.

Make them feel special. In a world of automated phone systems and technology, people really do feel like “just a number”. Recognition is a powerful way to differentiate yourself from competitors and keep them coming back. Recognition can be as simple as greeting them by name whenever you speak with them – and making sure your employees do the same. Read on to learn other budget-smart ways to build customer relationships.

6 Quick & Easies

• Good old-fashioned ‘Thank You for your patronage’ cards. Seriously. People send mail so rarely that a handwritten TY Card will stand out and be remembered.
• Thanksgiving cards. Most people send Christmas cards, so they become one big blur. Send a Thanksgiving card, and you’ll be remembered.
• Spice the cards up. Consider including a gift card. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. It can be to a coffee shop or area restaurant you know they are likely to visit. Or to your own place. The value can be influenced by how important the customer is, and where the gift card is to be spent.
• Cash register surprise. When they make a purchase, from time to time, surprise them with an unexpected discount or special goodie. For example, if you’re a restaurant, offer them a free dessert or beverage of their choice. Always remember to thank them by name when you present it, so they’ll feel extra special.
• Birthday Club. Invite people to join your birthday club, and create a list which you check daily. Email a birthday greetings or, better yet, send a birthday card wishing them a great birthday, and thanking them for their business. Consider including a gift card or discount coupon.
• Testimonial request. Ask them for a testimonial that you can use on your website and with your marketing materials. Position it as free PR for them. The message you’re giving them is that you value their business so much that you’re proud to showcase them to others.