When it comes to marketing, there are so many different recommendations on how to do it effectively. But there’s no doubt that a cornerstone of effective marketing is knowing who you are talking to and how they will listen. Only then will you be able to reach who you want to reach, and you won’t waste time talking to people who don’t want to listen.  

What is targeted marketing?

The best marketing teams use targeted marketing to make sure their advertising efforts are as effective as possible. Targeted marketing is the process of identifying a desired audience (i.e. desired customer) and promoting products and services across platforms and various media that are likely to reach and resonate with them.

The idea of targeted marketing is to identify the desired customer and the ways in which they consume their media and then build a marketing strategy aimed at that specific group. The main focus is to direct the message, because in marketing if you’re trying to talk to everybody, you’re not really reaching anybody.

Types of Target Markets

When creating a marketing strategy with a specific market in mind, you have to establish the ways these individuals and groups consume their media, what their interests are, what kinds of personal experiences they have and, really, the things that impact their human existence.

Consider these qualities about your target market:

• • Demographics (age, gender, level of education, marital status, race, religion, etc.)
  • Psychographics (personal values, beliefs, interests, personalities, lifestyle)
  • Business industry
  • Geographic areas (neighborhoods, area code, city, region, country etc.)

In establishing these qualities, you can get a fuller understanding of your audience’s lives, the way they think, and what information they will be interested in receiving.

Audiences and Platforms

Different audiences consume media in different ways. While millennials and young people consume most of their information through visual media, like Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, baby boomers use more text-heavy sites like Facebook and topical websites, as well as email or more traditional snail mail.

Imagery Matters

Generalizations and stereotypical images run rampant in marketing. When marketing to different audiences, it’s important to put yourself in their shoes: try to determine how they view themselves and how they would like to be viewed. If you want someone to buy into your messaging, they have to see something of themselves in it.

In marketing to retired folks, make sure you show images of single men and women, as well as images of couples. Use imagery of happy people remaining active, rather than images of frailty and inability. The latter types of images not only perpetuate stereotypes about older adults’ physical abilities, but they present one type of reality that your audience may not relate to. By showing images that the viewers can relate to, you are more likely to gain their trust and likely their business.

Speak Their Language

When writing copy, use language that the target audience can relate to. If you are trying to reach a younger audience, learn their lingo and use it (but try not to come across as trying too hard to use their slang). For older individuals, use language that they are familiar and comfortable with. If you want your audience to buy into your message, make sure you remain relatable to them.

Moving Forward

Keeping these tips in mind will drastically change the way that you market to different audiences. As you design your marketing strategies, just remember that the most effective marketing is targeted, direct, and relatable. Now you’re on your way to creating messages that will stand out over the masses.