When it comes to marketing and advertising your business or services it’s important to define a target audience early on. One of the biggest challenges any business may face is determining exactly who their audience truly is. If you provide residential roofing services, for example, you’ll want to target homeowners. As a plumber, you may focus on both residential and commercial clients. Alternatively, if you sell a specific product, your target audience should be those willing to purchase a particular item.
Acknowledging Your Target Audience
It’s important to understand that any service or product you offer has a target audience that you may define. As a business owner or marketer, your primary goal is to identify these people. This may sound obvious, but can actually be tricky to accomplish.
First and foremost, not everyone is your target audience. It would be an immense waste of resources, time, and energy to market products specifically designed for middle-aged men to college-age women, for example. No one will purchase the items or services.
Identify What Customers Want From You
One of the first challenges you’ll face is by being too close to your own services or brand. While you absolutely want to promote your offerings, you need to step into the shoes of a target customer. What do they want? What are they willing to purchase? What makes you stand out from others—don’t say customer service! Everyone promises good customer service. What else do you offer that makes you different? Do you offer a certain brand of equipment, an amazing guarantee, a satisfaction promise, eco-friendly products and services, the best-trained employees in the business, quick response, excellent service plans? You need to find out what makes you stand out from the pack and then identify the customers who are looking for what makes you stand out!
Another way of identifying your best future customers is by analyzing your current customers. At Contractor 20/20 we start by looking at your current customers, figuring out who they are on multiple levels, and then target others just like them. These types of people are already attracted to your brand so they will be an easier sell.
By seeing the brand through fresh eyes, you can spot obvious weaknesses, misuse, or even misunderstandings.
Start by reaching your audience through the right medium. You may initially want to reach them via direct mail, but also have a good internet campaign established in case they go searching for reviews online. You can also build name recognition via radio so that when they get your direct mail or email they will already be familiar with the company and more likely to keep reading. There are multiple avenues available, and they all end up working together. The hard part is figuring out which routes to take first, and how to get the tolls as low as possible—that’s where our expertise comes in.
Contact Us
For business marketing, contact Contractor 20/20 by calling us at (607) 770-8933. We’re happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have!
