Become Your Own Target Market

There we were, my elderly Dad and I, planted on the couch watching the football game. In a between stuffing his face with Cheetos, a commercial for Mountain Dew came on the TV. Pointing at the screen with his Orange-powdered finger, my Dad asked me, “Why is that commercial so obnoxious?” I took a handful of Cheetos, filled my mouth to stall and think, then said “well Pa, to the peeps that would be interested in the product, it was an awesome commercial”.

Effective advertisements are based on your ability to communicate in your target market’s language. It’s really no different than if you traveled to another country to negotiate a sale. What you say and how you say it could potentially land a sizeable contract or get you thrown out of the country. Literally or symbolically, learn the language or find a qualified interpreter.

Communicating in your target market’s language can be difficult to execute when you personally live and breathe your business. You may not understand why throngs of money-tossing buyers aren’t noticing your ads and re-routing their income to your bank account. If they only knew of all the life-changing benefits…all of the incredible features…and all of the amazing savings they could enjoy, you would be livin’ large. Unfortunately, if your advertising doesn’t grab their desires in the first place with relatable enticements, game over.

So here’s basically all you have to do; identify your target market and learn about them. Speak in their special language. How? Become them: Read about them. Visit with them. Ask them questions. Engage yourself in their interests/events/trade shows/online interests/lifestyles…BE THE BALL.!

One easy and affordable way to do this is to visit websites that are targeted toward them. Which ones? ask them. Notice the colors, the wording, the images, the type styles, the headlines… everything. Then, when you feel you understand them better, entice them with images and stimulus that turns them on.

Again: if you don’t grab their desires in the first place, you lose. Learning more about your target market is a very selfless journey, demanding you to step out of your personal passions and focus on honoring others. The selfless process will result in your own growth and your businesses growth.