“Become” Your Customer for Better Target Marketing
Written by PR Etc., Inc.
Published by Rockford Register Star
Monday, January 1, 2007

In the previous column, we outlined how to best identify the key audiences for the most effective return on investment of your marketing dollars.

Once you’ve identified them, now you have to decide how are you going to market to them? After all, not every person gains information in the same way so it’s important to understand how to reach potential customers. In other words, you must become your customers. How do they receive their information? Below are some initial ideas to consider to reach them:

• Do they read the daily newspaper or do they read specific trade publications? Keep in mind that the younger generation (under 20 years old) barely touch a daily newspaper.
• What do they listen to on the radio? Talk radio or hip-hop music? Or are they XM Radio listeners?
• What type of television programming do they watch – or do they watch television at all?
• Do your customers spend considerable time networking? If so, where? On the golf course? Or at a local coffee house?

It seems obvious: market to your customers and potential customers through the avenues in which they gain their information. Easier said than done, but stepping into their world to understand a bit more about them will be 10 times more effective for your marketing dollar.