Know Your Audience (or Don’t Sell Snow to Penguins)

Marketing can be a lot like dating: if you don’t know who you’re talking to, your pitch could be doomed from the start. Picture this, you show up to a first date with a mixtape you’ve poured your heart and soul into. The latest and greatest in Van Halen, Motley Crue, Poison, and every other hairband imaginable. There’s just one problem… your date is actually into soul and R&B. They actually hate ‘80s hairbands. Awkward.

The same goes for marketing your small business - if you’re pitching the wrong thing to the wrong people, it’s more than just a miss; it’s a facepalm moment.

Recently another marketing agency sent us a cold call letter trying to sell us… you’ll never guess… marketing services. That’s like offering Ina Garten a cooking class or trying to sell an iPhone to someone waiting in line for the new Samsung Galaxy. Thanks, but I’m pretty sure we’ve got this. It just goes to illustrate point of our blog this week: know your audience.

Research: It’s What’s for Dinner

Whether we like it or not, the first step in effective marketing your small business is conducting ample research. We’re not just talking about skimming the surface with broad demographic stats like age and income, but diving deep into your audience makeup. What makes them tick, what drives them, what sparks their interest. It’s like trivia night where all your questions are about your ideal customer – you can’t walk in unprepared and expect to win. The same goes for marketing.

Knowing your audience isn’t just important; it’s damn near everything. Here’s why:

1. You Avoid the “Wrong-Person, Wrong-Pitch” Disaster.

   Marketing dog toys to a cat rescue group could be pretty embarrassing. We think the same about trying to sell marketing services to a marketing agency. Not knowing who you’re actually reaching out to can create all sorts of uncomfortable scenarios, for you and your potential customer.
   

2. You Build Trust and Connection.

   If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: people don’t buy from faceless corporations; they buy from brands they connect with. If you’re targeting the right audience with the right message, you’ll build a bridge, not a barrier. Starting out by showing evidence that you’re at least somewhat familiar with your audience’s needs can carry you a long way in the beginning.
   

3. It Saves You Money.

   Casting a wide net can be tempting, but it’s not always efficient. Laser-focus your efforts, and your marketing dollars will stretch further than your Uncle Joey’s Full House catchphrases.
   

Tailored Messaging that Fits Like a Glove

You’re undoubtedly familiar with the phrase “knowledge is power.” You better believe it is. Imagine you have the hottest new bakery product: a line of vegan, gluten and allergen-free, low-carb cupcakes. Your market research has shown that your target audience are health-conscious millennials that get pumped over farmer’s markets and yoga retreats. Now you know it will be smart to begin your campaign focusing on the health benefits, natural ingredients, eco-friendly packaging, and that sort of thing. If a bunch of BBQ pitmasters see your campaign instead, you can count on your campaign falling flat. Research saves you from wasting time, money, and cupcakes on the wrong crowd.

And it doesn’t stop there, because it’s not just about who your audience is, but how they communicate. If you’re after Gen Z, you might have a playful tone full of memes and brain rot humor. If you’re after a more professional crowd, you’ll likely have messaging that is more buttoned up, sharp, and to the point. Nuances like this matter because when people feel understood, they engage.

Solving Problems, Not Just Selling Products (or Services)

You can’t just figure out who you’re targeting and call it a day. You need to determine what the key is to solving their problems and how your small business fits in there. People aren’t just looking for a product or service; they’re after a solution. In your research you should also gather their pain points and craft your message around the fix you have for them. You don’t want to just grab their attention, you want them to say, “Finally, someone gets it!”

Even with impeccable research, sometimes a campaign may need adjusting midstream. Things might not always land as intended, but there’s good news: YOU DID A TON OF RESEARCH! This means developing an alternate approach is a piece of cake.

I Get By with a Little Help From My Friends

Beyond your own internal research, it never hurts to actually get out there and talk to people. Surveys, focus groups, and social media polls are absolute goldmines of information too. You should never discount the value of a face-to-face conversation either. You might be surprised, sometimes the best (and most actionable) insights come by simply listening to what your audience has to say. All of these are things you’ll never hear if you aren’t listening. Even worse, if you’re talking to the wrong people, it could be completely useless. Which brings us right back around to the importance of knowing your audience.

Research is time consuming and can be costly. However, that investment will cost you so much less than wasted time and effort (and maybe even fallout) from marketing to the wrong crowd.

Hey, Don’t I Know You?

Understanding your audience isn’t just a step in your marketing process – it’s a foundation to build your strategy and communications on. It also can prevent you from having egg on your face when your marketing agency tries to sell marketing to other marketers. 😉 Taking the time to research, listen, and truly know your audience sets your small business up for (in the words of Charlie Sheen) “WINNING!” It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about tailoring your messaging, adjusting on the fly, or solving their problems – knowing your audience means your efforts aren’t wasted and your messaging lands where it matters most.