Marketing Tips How to Reach Your Target Audience

Written by Cate Emmah

Whether your business is old or new, you need to ask yourself some of these questions before executing your marketing plan:

Who is your ideal customer? Where is your customer—where to find them? What do they like to do in their free time? What are their needs?

These answers will help you focus your budget on advertising your brand or products to those who need them. Don’t let those long hours and valuable resources you have spent to make your killer product go to waste!

Read on to find five ways how to reach your target audience.

1. DO MARKET RESEARCH

It’s vital to do market research before you begin investing resources into marketing. This helps you identify your target market. Know your target demographics. Get help from demographic data like age, sex, level of income, and geographical location.

Narrowing your target audience based on their demographic characteristics helps you focus your marketing resources on where they will benefit you most.

2. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET MARKET’S NEEDS

Once you know who and where your target audience is, you can begin to figure out what they need. How do your competitors’ products fill or miss that need? Identify the gap and use it to your advantage.

Depending on the demographic data, you may find that what you offer is more suited for one group of people more than another. It helps you decide where you need more products or less and at what prices.

For instance, if you were selling clothes, you’ll find that 50% of millennial women shop for clothes more than twice a month, compared to only 36% of women from older generations. Knowing your customers’ needs will help you focus on the essentials to solve those needs.

3. DESIGN A SOLUTION

Now that you know what your target audience needs, give them precisely that. This will give your business a better chance of thriving due to relevancy. Also, be open to change your offerings based on customer feedback.

For instance, Ellevest, an investing platform designed for women, uses the same method to reach their target market. They identified the need women had to invest, and they provided a platform for them.

Listen to your customers’ recommendations and heed them. When your audience is satisfied with your services, they will spread the word to many other potential clients.

4. ESTABLISH A WEB PRESENCE

Did you know there are more than 3 billion internet users in this world? This means that you can reach your target market by establishing a web presence rather than availing yourself physically. It’s both time and cost-effective.

It’s easier now to get your business in front of your target market than it’s ever been. Learn where your target audience spends most of their time and make sure you have a presence there.

Create a website and post appealing content. Consider making your website mobile-friendly - the easier it is to navigate, the more they will use it.

5. ASK YOUR TEAM TO BE BRAND AMBASSADORS

Social media is a valuable asset that every business should utilize. It gives you a chance to reach a large population of the world and, most importantly, your target market.

Your team members and employees know what you offer better than anyone. Let them be your advocates on social media.

When people that personally know you share and recommend your products and services, it increases your credibility and builds a sense of trust around your brand.