Your uniqueness literally makes you who you are.
You are uniquely composed of hundreds of thousands of years of evolution to become the person you are that is walking around today.
And did you know that even though you get 50% of your DNA from each parent, your DNA is still different than your siblings? Unless you’re identical twins!
So what does this have to do with your business or organization?
Well… have you ever stopped to consider what makes your target customer unique?
Your target customer has a unique set of goals, desires, dreams, and challenges. The more clearly you can identify their uniqueness, the better you can communicate with them, get noticed by them, and get THEIR interest in YOU.
Now, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people who say, “But I can’t narrow it down to just one target customer… My target audience is EVERYONE!”
Maybe you DO have a broad audience of people you want to reach…
But you can’t communicate with everyone ALL the time. And when you try to, often marketing falls flat.
You need to get specific with each different initiative you employ, and create a “customer avatar” for exactly who you are trying to reach. Then, you can tailor all of your efforts to reaching that person.
Here’s how:
First, identify the top 3-5 industries you serve.
For example: manufacturing, cyber security, aerospace, agriculture… The list goes on and on (and can be very broad or very narrow and specific).
Next, brainstorm who in that industry makes the “buying decisions.” Who within that industry are you trying to reach?
Is it a twenty-something millennial with great ideas who wants a funky space to live and work?
Or maybe it’s the 50-something CEO that wants to create an environment to attract and retain an exceptional workforce — and needs to have tech infrastructure in place to create that next big widget.
Or perhaps it’s the Real Estate Developer trying to find the best investment for future tenants.
Get clear on your customer avatar by answering these questions:
- Are they male or female?
- What is their occupation?
- Income?
- Age?
- Where do they currently live?
- What are their particular needs and challenges that you can help them with?
- What are their dreams and desires?
Once you know WHO you want to speak to, then you can create campaigns for those audiences on the platforms they’re spending time on.
And then, once you’ve identified your customer avatar, brainstorm the key types of media that they use.
- What types of online media/social media do they use? Instagram? Facebook? Snapchat? LinkedIn?
- What types of traditional media do they use, like print magazines, newspapers or TV?
- And then brainstorm: How and why do they make buying decisions?
Once you’re clear on what media your target market is actually using, THAT is where you want to focus your advertising budget.
Now, what if you’re trying to reach a demographic like teenagers or college students — and you have no clue what kind of media they’re using?
The best way to learn more about them is by asking them directly.
For example, you can reach out to your current customers in this demographic, and send them a survey, asking what media they are using. Or you could even interview them 1:1 on the phone, at an event or in person.
Do your research and connect with the people who are in your target audience.
In the next blog, we’re going to be discussing one of the biggest concerns I hear from EDOs — How do I shift perceptions about my community?
