Answers
Jan 17, 2019 - 09:43 AM
Reaching your target market is all about finding where they hang out. In recent years, that conversation has focused on targeting the right social media channels. But if your target audience isn’t on social, the goal is still finding out where they are in their free time - it’s just a little more challenging.
As a note before we begin, keep in mind that your target market may not be on social media, but the people around them could be. For example, are those successful professionals married?
Is it possible that their spouses are on social media, and shopping for clothing gifts there sometimes?
Just something to consider. Understanding these relationships can help you grow your sales immensely.
Next, you can target the online spaces where your target customer actually spends their time. They might ignore major social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but use other “social” sites, such as industry forums. These could be exclusive forums with a paywall, but they’re still a place to reach your customers.
Once you’ve found your target customer online, join them in those spaces, but in a non-sales-y way. For example, you could start by sharing helpful information in relevant forum threads. Build trust before you start selling. If you can offer something free first, like a trial size of a grooming product, even better.
Your target customer might not click on a display ad, but they’ll probably research a business that they’re interested in online. Is your website complete, modern, and professional? Does your blog section offer information they’ll find useful, or does it prioritize SEO over quality?
Your website, and any other web presence for your brand, needs to position you as an industry expert. Become a valuable source of information, and you’ll get more buyers. As a clothing brand, this might mean showing your expertise in relevant topics like fashion or sustainability.
Try to guest post on the websites or publications your ideal customers read, too. Know which types of content resonate with them and focus on that. For example, are they into long-form reads rather than short posts?
Work on gathering email contacts for your target customers when they visit your site. This useful conversion lets you populate their inboxes with unique, informative content. Again, aim to help, not sell. They’ll likely send anything that sounds like a sales pitch straight to the “Trash” folder.
Finally, you can also focus on non-digital marketing efforts. Why not seek out some speaking engagements at conferences and other events your target audience members attend?
Again, keep it informative, and don’t make it a sales pitch. Offer useful information, and let your business be the side note. Get your speaking engagements on video to post to your website later.
Show up to relevant networking events, too. Get in-person time with possible buyers so you can position yourself as an expert and win their trust. Try attending trade shows as an exhibitor. Make your booth look great, and bring some cool branded merchandise with you.
Ditch throwaways like branded pens in favor of more useful items, like flash drives, or your best t-shirts. Train your team to be great brand ambassadors at any events you send them to.
You should also use print media to your advantage. Consider hiring a PR expert to help you build buzz in offline spaces. Send press releases to the local news and industry publications. Seek out print guest posts as well as digital ones. Although print media is shrinking, there’s still a healthy fashion and lifestyle niche you can tap into.
The better you know your target customer, the easier all of this is. Don’t skimp on the research needed to know them inside and out, and you’ll be able to get your product in their hands faster.
Apr 15, 2021 - 09:40 PM
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Marketing is always about going where your customers are and showing them how your product will improve their life and in what ways.
Today, marketers are using social media because that's where people spend the most time now and it is also cost effective because you can target your ad. But the marketing world has been doing business without social media for centuries now. I am 34, and even I worked as a marketer before social media.
For reaching a group that opt-out of social media, you should use golden age marketing techniques. You should understand the demographics of your target group and what they do with their lives. Maybe they go to similar events, maybe they read similar magazines, etc.
And don't forget, digital marketing is bigger than social media marketing. Those people still use google, still use other websites. If you make your ads right, they will click it knowing they are clicking an ad. And, you shouldn't base your marketing on tricking your customers anyway, so provide value, use content marketing, make a cool product and they will come.
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Yep, and to get more tactical, here are some marketing channels I've seen work for people who don't use social media:
- Search engine marketing/ads - Live events - Direct mail (yes, it's very much still alive) - Sponsored content
Some of these are hard to measure, and some won't work if your target audience isn't online, but this gives you some specific tactics to start with.
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