The last thing any marketer wants is to find out is that they are not reaching a greater audience beyond themselves. Marketers don’t market just because they like to hear themselves talk; they like to reach out and make connections in the real world because it improves the bottom line of the business. There is no point in putting effort into a marketing tactic that won’t get you results.
It takes a particular skill-set to reach out and connect with an audience effectively. But how do you know what works and what doesn’t? How can you find out if you’re only marketing to yourself? What strategies will gain you the profit you’ve been missing out on? Here are our tips for making meaningful connections with your audience through marketing.
Market Research and Where to Start
The first sign of a one-person audience is your lack of research. Market research is what enables you to find the pulse of the people in your market. Toby Scammell explains that “the more we study sales patterns on Main Street, the more we learn that consumer spending tends to defy conventional wisdom.”
What do you really know about your consumer, and how do you know it? What are their purchasing behaviors? What are their opinions on your business? Learn more about your customer’s pain points and about what their problems are, and then you can evaluate how well your products and services can solve the customer’s problems. Part of the research process involves looking at how your current marketing materials are performing with customers.
The more you understand about your customer, the more you can help them with the appropriate products and services at the right time and place. When you optimize marketing materials, you can better equip your sales team and gain greater traction with your target audience. Being able to understand your audience and your customers will also put you ahead of your competition.
Putting the Consumer First
Messaging that fails to resonate with its audience can never hope to capture their attention. Think hard on this principle as you go to the whiteboard to start ideating and drafting new content. It might require you to set aside what you think is most important, and instead to consider the needs of the consumer you want to reach.
Consider these things the next time you create a marketing campaign. Know who you’re talking to. Make yourself valuable to your audience by providing interesting and useful content that they want. Present it in a way that is engaging and on the platforms where your audience is most likely to see it.
If you want to reach out to a broader market, there are many strategies you can use to do that. White hat SEO, digital ads, reputation management, targeted email marketing, social media, and local search optimization are some of the strategies that we offer to business owners like you so that your marketing strategies take flight and gain the attention of the customers. Contact us today for a consultation of what we can do for you!
