One of the most common challenges I see when working with businesses is the lack of understanding about their ideal customers. Most small businesses have small marketing budgets and need to make sure that their advertising spend is focused on the right customers. Don’t try to target everyone. Do the research and really try to understand what makes your ideal customer tick.
Once you understand more about your customers you can then segment them based on their needs and preferences and tailor products, messages and advertising. This will ensure it is more relevant and they are more likely to respond to your advertising.
Check out my four simple steps to identifying your ideal customers:
1. Describe your customers:
Define your customers with some of the following criteria:·
- Demographics – their age, gender, income, race, education
- Psychographics – personality, motives and lifestyle, preference
- Behaviour – their likes and dislikes, sports, hobbies, interests
2. Locate Your Customers
Identify your customers location, whether a physical location or online
- Where do hang out, region, town, what events do they go to?
- What are they reading, listening to, watching - online and offline?
- What do they search for online, what are they key words or themes they use?
3. Understand their purchasing behaviour
Identify the needs that will make your customers purchase your product or service.
- First identify their problem or need that your product or service solves?
- Where do they begin their research and who influences them
- What are the benefits to finding a solution and how does your product fix it?
4. Connect with your existing customers
Talk to your current and your ideal customers to gain insights into why they chose your business over others. Ask them:
- Why did you originally buy from our company
- What are our strengths and weaknesses
- How can we improve what we do
Once you have worked through these simple steps you should be able to get a clear picture of your customers and the different segments. This will help with your overall marketing planning and where you spend you money.