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Guest post by: Lisa Manyon Become an Author

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It’s interesting to me how many people truly don’t know who their clients are let alone how to reach them. I don’t mean the clients you’ve already done business with – chances are you’ve developed a relationship with them and know what makes them tick. What I mean is your ideal clients and customers. The ones you want to continually attract with the RIGHT marketing message– focused messaging.

Although this concept is not new, focused messaging is shaping the way marketers approach consumers. The need for narrowly focused messages that have been developed specifically for your ideal consumer; as opposed to wide spread demographics is imperative to the success of any marketing campaign. And it’s becoming increasingly so for websites. Building successful relationships online hinges largely on the know, like and trust factor. People need to know you, like you and trust you to do business and at the same time, your message must truly be crafted to connect with them and motivate action.

Savvy marketers know it’s completely passé’ to ask, “Who is your target market” and receive an answer of something as broad as “Women aged 18 – 34.” It simply isn’t efficient or effective to try to be all things to everyone and there needs to be more psychographic information to truly identify your ideal client (or as Lorrie Morgan Ferrero says “Tarket” the word she coined to embody your target market on a much more personal level). Although creating “positioning” messages (sometimes referred to as institutional ads) to reach the masses has been standard in traditional radio, print, television and even brochure style website advertising, Web consumers aren’t buying it. Consumers crave real interaction and specialized attention like never before. Your message needs to REALLY speak to consumers on a personal and emotional level.

It’s no surprise then that simple positioning marketing, advertising and promotional materials have become less effective as consumers demand more authenticity and accountability in marketing messages. Budgets also dictate the use of direct response tactics to bring results. Traditional positioning campaigns are becoming supplemental (budget allowing) only after direct response is in place (which is where most ad dollars are being spent). This shift necessitates alliances of copywriters and direct response marketers who manage complete direct marketing systems for clients or at the very least to ensure all messages are congruent and speaking to the ideal customer via marketing mediums they also relate to.

Finally, acknowledgement that women are the primary consumers and respond differently than men (although not new information) is beginning to show in the majority of marketing messages. Savvy marketers know who is responsible for the largest portion of buying decisions and they’re doing their homework so they can craft messages that truly connect based on media preference.

So, with all this being said:

* Do you know who your customers are and how to reach them?

* Or are you sending the wrong message to the wrong people?

* What shifts in advertising and marketing have you seen and how is it impacting how you strategically create your messaging?

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