Target Marketing Lesson from My Teenage Daughter
Target Marketing Lesson from My Teenage Daughter
What amused me was that if I had offered to lend her that sweatshirt a week or even a day ago she wouldn’t have been interested. She would have looked aghast that I would even suggest she wear a MOM shirt—kind of like wearing MOM jeans—you know, the ones that actually reach almost to your waist.
This is just like in business—people don’t want your product or service until they do; until they have a problem or need and the time has come to solve it, or they have developed a desire for something and they want it now. Say you’re a car dealer and you run commercials on TV. Who will stop and listen? The person who has decided it’s time to buy a new car. If I’m perfectly happy with my car, why would I pay attention?
We often love what we sell so much that we have an assumption that everyone who we put our message in front of is actually paying attention. The truth is that if their need, want or desire for your solution is not top-of-mind, their attention will be drawn elsewhere. Don’t take it as a personal insult. After all it’s a human response, especially when everyone and their uncle are vying for our attention.
That’s why it’s so important to target your marketing toward the specific group of people who might buy from you, rather than too broad a group of people. An example would be a chiropractor who advertises in the local newspaper. The demographics in the local paper are much too broad as there are many readers who have no interest or need for a chiropractor. Instead, using Google or Yahoo pay-per-click ads based on targeted search terms like perhaps, “Raleigh chiropractors” or “back pain relief” would yield much better results. Or perhaps targeting sports publications or forums for chronic pain sufferers would work because those people need the chiropractor’s expertise.
The same goes for any business. For example, it’s much more effective to advertise in an industry or topic-focused magazine, than in a magazine whose reader base is very broad. Do the research necessary to find out what your target prospect reads, where they go online and off, and what groups they’ve joined. Research what people are buying in your industry or niche. What are they most in need of that you could offer? Think outside the box. One of the fastest ways to get this information is to do a simple 5 to 10 question survey of your clients, subscribers or prospects. People will be more than happy to tell you exactly what they want or need. I do this yearly and it is highly effective.
So go directly where you can connect with the people who need you and give them what they want. Well, I guess I better get that sweatshirt washed—it’s in demand!
Target Marketing Lesson from My Teenage Daughter - To learn more about this author, visit Janis Pettit's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
I recently had a momentous day. It was the first time my 14 year old asked to borrow a piece of clothing from me—a white Nike sweatshirt. This is like a rite of passage and it was quite unexpected since my daughter is a size 0 and I’m a size 10 (I’m being honest here). Unfortunately the above-mentioned sweatshirt was in the dirty laundry and unavailable, which, although I was happy she asked, was just fine with me since it’s very comfy and is my favorite.
What amused me was that if I had offered to lend her that sweatshirt a week or even a day ago she wouldn’t have been interested. She would have looked aghast that I would even suggest she wear a MOM shirt—kind of like wearing MOM jeans—you know, the ones that actually reach almost to your waist.
This is just like in business—people don’t want your product or service until they do; until they have a problem or need and the time has come to solve it, or they have developed a desire for something and they want it now. Say you’re a car dealer and you run commercials on TV. Who will stop and listen? The person who has decided it’s time to buy a new car. If I’m perfectly happy with my car, why would I pay attention?
We often love what we sell so much that we have an assumption that everyone who we put our message in front of is actually paying attention. The truth is that if their need, want or desire for your solution is not top-of-mind, their attention will be drawn elsewhere. Don’t take it as a personal insult. After all it’s a human response, especially when everyone and their uncle are vying for our attention.
That’s why it’s so important to target your marketing toward the specific group of people who might buy from you, rather than too broad a group of people. An example would be a chiropractor who advertises in the local newspaper. The demographics in the local paper are much too broad as there are many readers who have no interest or need for a chiropractor. Instead, using Google or Yahoo pay-per-click ads based on targeted search terms like perhaps, “Raleigh chiropractors” or “back pain relief” would yield much better results. Or perhaps targeting sports publications or forums for chronic pain sufferers would work because those people need the chiropractor’s expertise.
The same goes for any business. For example, it’s much more effective to advertise in an industry or topic-focused magazine, than in a magazine whose reader base is very broad. Do the research necessary to find out what your target prospect reads, where they go online and off, and what groups they’ve joined. Research what people are buying in your industry or niche. What are they most in need of that you could offer? Think outside the box. One of the fastest ways to get this information is to do a simple 5 to 10 question survey of your clients, subscribers or prospects. People will be more than happy to tell you exactly what they want or need. I do this yearly and it is highly effective.
So go directly where you can connect with the people who need you and give them what they want. Well, I guess I better get that sweatshirt washed—it’s in demand!
Target Marketing Lesson from My Teenage Daughter - To learn more about this author, visit Janis Pettit's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
|||
John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
|||
Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
|||
|
For an online Car Loan Calculator and finance for a cheap car loan. Get approved on car loans or car finance in Australia with cheap bank car loans and finding a car finance broker. Commercial car loans including business car finance and car lease. Car Loan Calculator has information on finance companies and getting the right cheap car loan from banks at best car loan rates and a online car loan calculator for all finance in Australia. Get the best car finance with our help at Car Loan Calculator and Finance Ezi. - Visit Richard Jefferies's Website |
|||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
|||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Janis's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
|
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Strategic Plan Top Author Mistakes Balance chart Double Digit Growth eguide Elevating Your Business |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Political Blogs
Top Political Blogs of 2009 | |
 |
Guide To ERP Software
Business Management Software | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||