Sales is definitely a numbers game. Generally speaking, the more people you reach, the more chance you have of success, whether that’s selling a product or service, or raising brand awareness.
However, knowing and relating to your audience is also 100 per cent essential. If you don’t have a good understanding of your market, you can’t know how your product or service can benefit them, or how best to market it to them.
It’s not just about knowing the highlights of your product or message, it’s about understanding the people who it will appeal to and why.
Who is not the target?
As far as maximising resources goes, knowing who the product won’t appeal to is equally important.
There’s that saying: “He’s such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to an Eskimo.” But trying to sell something to people who have genuinely no need for it is the ultimate in time-wasting effort.
As well as committing resources to something almost guaranteed to fail, you won’t acquire the brand advocates who have a need and enthusiasm for your product (or service).
Tailor that message
Face-to-face marketing is particularly successful because it gives businesses and brands the chance to make a personal connection with their customers. Being able to speak with someone one on one gives you an insight into their life, and therefore how your product or message applies to them.
It’s something to keep in mind with all marketing strategies; the better you understand your audience, the more you can cater your message to them.
Research the demographics you’re trying to reach and figure out what makes them tick.
And what does make them tick?!
Whether it’s their age or gender, where they live, whether they’re married and have children, or the types of jobs they have – every part of someone’s life plays a part in their decisions.
To reach those people, it’s your job to understand them as well as you possibly can. You need to know the challenges they face, how they think, what their values are and why your product would make their lives better.
You may have the best product or service on the market, but if you don’t understand the people who are going to use or engage with it, you can’t possibly create a compelling marketing strategy to inspire them to commit to your brand. And, just as importantly, knowing your audience shows you value and respect your customers.