Hit Your Target Market's Bull's-Eye
It is difficult to know if you are communicating effectively with your target market. The best way to begin evaluating your communication is to ask a tough question and then evaluate your current communication based on the tips provided below.
"What's in it for me?"
Many web-based marketing efforts fail because they focus on the needs of the company, not their target audience. Companies tend to become obsessed with demographics, which is who their customers are and is typically defined by categories such as age, sex, income, or education. Instead, consider your target audience psychographics, why the target audience acts the way they do. What makes them purchase? Are there common steps a prospect takes to become a customer?
Successful companies put themselves on the other side of the monitor and mouse pad. They have a thorough understanding of the needs and motivations of their audience. As a result, they're able to communicate and connect to their audience on a personal and emotional level. The company knows what is in it for the audience and why they act a specific way based on communications.
This understanding can pay off. According to DoubleClick.com, 72 percent of recipients said that their "likeliness to respond to permission-based email is most increased by content based on specific interests."
Nine tips to evaluate the habits and trends of your target audience:
1. Check click reports.
Web site hits don't tell the whole story. Click-throughs reveal what visitors find most – and least – interesting. Adapt your content accordingly.
2. When they search… do they find?
If your site has a "search" feature, are you providing the information they search for? If not, chances are you are loosing your target audience.
3. Ask.
Conduct focus groups or online surveys. Include open-ended questions to capture information that might reveal insight into the reasons why your audience acts the way they do.
4. Ask your sales team.
What feedback are they hearing from customers about your company communication? Use your sales people as sounding boards for ideas and as a "reality check" when you're fine-tuning content. Test your assumptions about your target audience with them.
5. Ask your other company contacts.
The people in your front office and call center answer the phones, funnel email and respond to general queries about your company and its products / services. What are the "hot button" issues, questions and concerns they're encountering? Are you missing information on your Web site that could help with queries?
6. Act like your target audience.
Find out what your prospects and customers are reading. Subscribe to the same trade publications. What are the hot industry trends? What are "insiders" writing about in guest editorials or letters to the editor? How does your target market get informed?
7. Review competitors.
How do their Web sites compare to yours? Are they more user-friendly? Updated more frequently?
8. Circulate.
Gather information at trade shows or conferences. Monitor online chat rooms of those who meet your target audience profile.
9. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Your target audience is a moving target. And your electronic communication — Web site, eNewsletter, eflier, blogs, eads — are a 24/7 ballot box. Unlike traditional print, epublications give you an instant snapshot of the kinds of information they want and insight into the problems they're looking to solve.
Use this data to experiment with new content and features. Change content that doesn't result in a positive response. Enhance content that is getting positive responses. Effective new content attracts attention.
Leverage eNewsletters
eNewsletters are a proactive, cost-effective way to find out what motivates your target audience. They provide real time, specific information about:
- How often your eNewsletter was viewed and who viewed it.
- Which articles were read, by whom, and how many times.
- Who clicked through to your Web site.
- Who unsubscribed from your eNewsletter.
When someone subscribes to your eNewsletter, capture several bits of information about them such as interests, company, location and title. Armed with additional data, you can hone in on needs, interests and expectations with precision which can help with:
- Planning future marketing activities and events.
- Modifying existing marketing activities to meet current/future expectations.
- Creating new material and/or events to satisfy confirmed customer needs.
- Delivering effective communication to your target audience month after month.
eNewsletters provide specific, actionable information about how your audience responds to your message. You can use this data to strengthen an emotional connection with them. You'll be better able to answer the question foremost in their minds: "What's in it for me?" There's no better way to hit your eMarketing bull's-eye!
Ready to work on your company eNewsletter? Let the experts at Proven Systems help you with the process by calling 800.720.5398 or visiting www.ProvenSystems.com. |