Targeting Your Market – Drill Down to Its Core

Do you really know your target market? Do you know what they think? Where they live? How old they are? What websites they frequent? What keywords do they use when they search for something online?

If you don’t – if you don’t live and breath and think as your target market thinks – you must find out, because once you do, then you’ll know how to market to them.

You also will want to drill down and define exactly who your perfect customer is.

Let’s say, for example, you’re in the business loan industry. So when someone asks you who your target market is, do you just say “businesses who need loans?” I hope not – that’s too broad.  It’s amazing how many answers I get to this question as it relates to hosting.  In this case, the answer is often “anybody with a website.”  Again this is too broad.

Instead, think niche. Are you looking for minority entrepreneurs? Women entrepreneurs? New business owners? Franchise owners? New franchise owners? A female who just bought a new franchise? Yes? Then just how old is this woman with a new franchise? Has she owned a franchise before? Is she the solo owner or is her husband or another partner involved in the business with her? You get the idea. Drill down to this woman’s essence – you could write her biography if asked.

Now that you know your target market perhaps better than you know your spouse, your next step is to market to your target in the manner he or she wants – not in the way you would prefer. You may be the boss of your own business, but your target market is the driver of your marketing campaign.