If you try and market your business to everyone, you can end up marketing to nobody at all. Learning who your target audience are and how to market to them specifically is essential if you want to grow your business. This week’s blog will give you simple tricks to identify your audience and our top tips on how to market your business to them.

Why shouldn’t I market my business to as many people as possible?

Of course, it’s tempting to try to appeal to the widest possible audience when you are focusing on getting more visible and increase your sales. After all, the more people you can reach, the more customers you’ll have, right? That’s where you’re wrong. The reality is that if you try to talk to everyone, you’ll actually end up talking to no one.

Here’s why: when you try to appeal to a broad audience, you end up diluting your brand message. You’re trying to be all things to all people, and as a result, you’re not really saying anything meaningful or compelling to anyone.

Let’s say you’re running a business that sells athletic wear for women. If you try to appeal to everyone, your marketing message might be something like, “Our athletic wear is perfect for anyone who wants to be comfortable while working out!” But this message doesn’t speak directly to any specific group of people or address their specific needs - meaning it’s less likely to hook potential clients in.

On the other hand, if you focus your marketing message on a specific group of women, such as yogis or runners, you can tailor your message to their needs and concerns. For example, you might say something like, “Our yoga pants are designed to move with you, so you can flow seamlessly from pose to pose” or “Our running shorts are made from breathable, moisture-wicking fabric to keep you cool and dry on long runs.” Both of these messages speak directly to the specific needs and preferences of your target audience and show your potential clients you’re a business that understands what they need and want.

By narrowing your focus and speaking directly to a specific audience, you can create a more compelling and effective message. You can highlight the unique features and benefits of your athletic wear that are most relevant to that audience, and you can use a tone and style that resonates with them.

Great examples of brands that market to their audience

Here are just a few brands that we love at Your AJency and who are all excellent examples of how to market to your target audience and clients.

Brand: Childs Farm

Who their marketing targets: women who are already interested in clean beauty and want to do the same for their kids, specifically those with sensitive skins and eczema who struggle to find effective natural products.

Brand: AllBright

Who their marketing targets: ambitious women who are already huge supporters of fellow entrepreneurs, but also on a shared mission to bring greater equality to the world.

Brand: Töastie Kids

Who their marketing targets: parents who love the outdoors and are looking for outdoor wear for kids. They deliver a beautiful mixture of nature and sustainability messages whilst focusing on style and function – collaborations with Snow + Rock are perfect for outdoor, ski-loving parents.

Brand: Patagonia

Who their marketing targets: environmentally conscious consumers. Patagonia has been successful in connecting with its audience by being transparent about its sustainability practices and actively working to reduce its environmental impact. Patagonia has also been successful in creating a community around its brand through its activism and support of environmental causes.

Remember Your Audience

This doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore other potential customers. But by focusing on a specific audience, you can create a strong and compelling message that resonates with your target clients… and if your message is strong enough, it may even attract customers outside of your main focus group as well.

How Do I Know Who My Target Audience Are?

In the last 7 years of working with female founders, this remains one of the questions we’re asked the most. Often, our clients have a target audience in mind but don’t always know how to research them and dig deep into their clients’ needs and wants. That’s why at Your AJency, our starting point for any client is how to find and research your target audience. This forms the building blocks of every strategic marketing plan.

5 Ways to research and Idenitfy Who Your Target Audience Are:

1. Social listening

Social media provides a wealth of information about your target audience. By monitoring social media channels and listening to what people are saying about your brand, your competitors, and your industry, you can gain valuable insights into your target audience’s interests, preferences, and behaviours. Tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social can help you monitor social media mentions and conversations. Another great free way to do this is to set up Google Alerts so you can track certain topics your target audience might be interested in.

2. Proactively engaging

Don’t just listen passively on social media; actively engage with your target audience. Ask them questions, solicit their opinions, and encourage them to share their thoughts and experiences. By proactively engaging with your target audience, you can gain a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences and build stronger relationships with them.

3. Conduct surveys and focus groups

Surveys and focus groups can provide valuable insights into your target audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviours. Surveys can be conducted online using tools like SurveyMonkey, while focus groups can be conducted in person or virtually using platforms like Zoom or Skype. Be sure to ask open-ended questions that allow your target audience to provide detailed feedback and insights.

4. Use Stories

Stories can be a powerful way to conduct market research on your own social media channels. Ask your target audience to share their experiences and stories about your brand, your products, or your industry. Use these stories to gain insights into your target audience’s needs and preferences, and to better understand their behaviours and motivations.

5. Analyse website analytics

Your website analytics can provide valuable insights into your target audience’s behaviours and preferences. Analyse data such as page views, bounce rates, and time on site to gain insights into which pages and content are most popular with your target audience. You can also see where people have visited your site from, and where they’re situated. Use this information to optimize your website and content to better meet your target audience’s needs.

If you need more help or advice with finding your target audience, why not book a power hour with Your AJency where we can advise you on this and so much more? Head to our Services page to find out more.

Any more questions? Get in touch via email or Instagram DM. We’d love to hear from you.