Before you can market your products or services, you need to determine who your target market is. Here are three ways to determine your target market.
Who is your ideal client?
You need to get very specific about the type of client that you envision yourself working with. You should have their description down to a tee - What do they look like? What is their income? What is their education level? Where do they live? The more specific the questions you can answer about your ideal client, the better. This helps you weed out those who would not be the right fit for your business and attract those that you can better serve.
Where does your ideal client hang out online?
Knowing where your target market typically hangs out online is very important because this will determine where to focus your marketing efforts and advertising dollars. If you know that your ideal client reads certain blogs or magazines, you'll want to make sure you are advertising there. If the social media platforms they use are Facebook or Instagram, then these are the platforms you should be posting to.
The goal is to get yourself in front of your target market as often as possible. The general rule of thumb is that it takes a client at least 5 points of contact before they make the decision to buy from or work with you, so make sure that you are positioning yourself to be seen in multiple places. Just having a website is not enough.
What problem does your product/service solve?
You need to figure out what problem your products or services will solve. How will your products or services help your clients? Will it make things easier for your clients? Will it save time or money for your client? Is it something they can’t get anywhere else? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you shape your unique selling position. Your unique selling position explains to your potential clients why they need what you have to offer.
One thing that you must remember when it comes to marketing a business is that it is not about you. Take yourself out of the equation and figure out your clients wants and needs, then come up with a plan to show how you can help solve whatever problem they may be facing.
Before you start marketing your products or services, you absolutely must determine your target market. If you don’t, you’ll be wasting a lot of time and money ‘selling’ to the wrong people.