How to find your target audience and actually engage with them
Do you know who your target audience is? Most Business Owners would love to say yes, however quite often when it comes to actually answering this in detail, many are quite unsure.
The result is that their Marketing Strategy doesn't fit their audience, resulting in low engagement and low conversions.
Understanding and Marketing to your target audience should be a high priority for all Business Owners who are wanting to create an effective Marketing Strategy.
Why your Target Audience matters
Small Businesses thrive depending on how well they know their audience. This is one of the reasons it takes a while to establish a Business. The early years are often spent finding and understanding their audience, then adjusting the offering to meet their needs and wants.
Once you fully understand who you're talking to, Marketing becomes easier. Strategies can be more effective. Rather than a 'learning' strategy, implementing 'earning and learning' strategies have the ability to be far more effective.
Fully understanding your Target Audience helps you:
- Create the right content
- Distribute the content via the correct channels
- Deliver content with the right 'voice'
- Understand where leads and enquiries will be generated / triggered
One of the most common mistakes I see with Business Coaching Clients along with Small Business Marketing in general, is that most Business Owners are trying to attract new leads taking a very broad approach to their Marketing.
The good news is; taking a more specific approach doesn't have to be difficult.
Identifying specific niches and subsets of customers can help. Perhaps your location parameters needs to be revisited. Taking a segmented Marketing approach can also help with finding and engaging with your audience.
Below are some quick tips to help you find your Target Audience
1. Use your Analytics
The need for data-driven Marketing is often overlooked. During my Business Coaching Workshops, I cover this topic off, as a lot can be achieved through understanding your audiences behaviour.
Keeping an eye on your analytics (both Google and Website) prevents you from making assumptions about your Business.
Knowing your vital stats will allow you to work out where your audience are hanging out, content which drives them to take action, their location and so much more.
Through analysing your analytics, you are able to break down the areas and create a Content Marketing Strategy suited to your audience.
2. Find & engage on Social Media
Understanding where your Target Audience is hanging out on Social Media allow lets you know where to spend most of your Marketing efforts. i.e.: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube...
Once you know which channels your Primary and Secondary audience are spending time, it's then important for you to understand where within the channel they are engaging i.e.: which Influencers, Brands and Accounts do they follow?
Analysing hashtags, locations, community accounts, events and other brands will also help you find your audience too.
If you already have a Social Media following, posting questions and polls can help you determine your Marketing moves.
Understanding your insights will also help to build a better conversion campaign and engage with your audience.
3. Direct Feedback
While some think that email marketing is dead - it actually isn't. The approach we have for DM is now different, however it is still a great way to engage with your audience.
Whether you use your mailing list to seek direct feedback, run a survey monkey questionnaire or have a feedback form in your bricks and mortar business, engaging in direct feedback is extremely helpful.
4. Responses
Direct interaction is one of the best ways to boost engagement. This also is a personable approach which is why many people choose to shop with Small Businesses.
Engaging with Your Target Audience
Now that you have some ideas of how to find your Target Audience, let's now look at engaging with them.
1. It's about your Audience
I can't stress enough how important it is that you put your audience first. Through providing content, customer service and touch points which are helpful, useful, interesting or entertaining is key.
Helping them solve their problems and addressing their needs should be at the top of the list.
Your Business needs to fill a gap in your customers life. Through recognising this and basing your Marketing Strategies around solving problems and being of benefit allows you a hinge to grow your business.
2. Promote the Benefits
Rather than selling your product or service, promote the benefit. Watch the difference in response....
3. Sense of Urgency
Whether it's an Early Bird, Limited Intro Offer or Special Edition, how can you create a sense of urgency in your Business?
I'm not a fan on promoting a business via a price or discount, as this puts your Business in a dangerous position of being price sensitive. Rather, promote with something tangible or value adding...
4. Call to Action
It's incredible how the majority of people forget to add Call to Action.
Whether it's at the end of your Blog Articles, Podcast Episodes, Social Media updates, Website Pages - where should you be adding your Call to Action.....?
Understanding your ideal customer is an incredibly important element in building your Business.
Knowing your Primary & Secondary audiences will make a fundamental difference in creating a successful Small Business.