Who is Your Target Customer?

Posted: 24^th July 2017

By: Sandra Garlick MBE

I frequently work with business owners who say they want to reach their target customer.  But who is your target customer?

So often I have attended networking groups and hear a 60 second pitch which concludes “I would like to speak to anyone who would like to buy my [service/product]“.

How you are going to reach these people if you don’t know who they are? The “anyone who would like to buy” needs to be identified, located and targeted. You can then work on the right marketing message to reach them.

I work around a set of key questions which can apply to various marketing aspects of your business.  These types of questions enable you to build up a specific profile of your target customer:

• Who is my target customer ie what is his/her or Company name? Being specific will focus your attention to ensure that you reach them.
• Are they a business or consumer? Each has its key differences, profile and purchasing habits
• Where are they located? Think about whether you are selling to a local, national or international audience.
• What is their demographic in terms of age and profile? Your product or service might be niche and attract a specific type of customer.
• What is their buying cycle? Businesses will have a financial year, budget and payment terms. Consumers may purchase when they have a surplus of disposable income.
• How much do they spend? You can identify this information from your historic sales or by carrying out research.
• What are their interests – ie what do they read, follow and support? This will help you understand where to advertise, where you need to network and areas where you can raise your profile.
• Are there any synergies or opportunities between you? They may be a complimentary business or an advocate for your particular product or service.
• Why will they want to buy my product/service? You will have already tested the market to see if there is a need for your product/service. However, why will your target customer buy from you and not your competitor?

By building up a target customer profile, you can then work on a marketing strategy to reach them.  This may be by direct approach, a general marketing campaign, via social media or a combination of these, and other marketing methods.  You may have more than one customer profile depending upon whether your customer is a Consumer and/or Business and if you have more than one product or service.

If you are clear about who your target customer is, you will have more clarity about how to reach them.

So next time you stand up to introduce yourself and your business, be specific about your target customer and your audience may be able to help you find them.

Sandra Garlick is a former business and employment law solicitor and has over 20 years experience in sales and marketing. Sandra is now a business growth consultant, mentor, trainer and public speaker. Speak to Sandra about Business Mentoring. She frequently speaks about StartUp and other business growth topics.

Follow @SandraGarlick @SGBusConsulting @WomanWhoAwards

www.sandragarlick.com