When it comes to marketing, you may fit in one of two categories. Maybe you employ a broad-based shotgun style of marketing, getting the word out through every possible channel. This approach may generate leads, but it might also waste time and money on the wrong market.
On the other hand, you may understand the need for targeted marketing methods but don’t know how to go about it. Or maybe you habitually fall back on traditional marketing tactics because they worked in the past.
Marketing is different from spreading lawn fertilizer. It’s more like planting flowers – the right flowers in the right spots. Just doing *something* apart from strategic planning will not yield results. Savvy marketers understand that it’s all about creating a targeted, strategic plan to reach the right audience.
A Forbes study states, “71% of companies with revenues greater than $10 billion report the ability to more effectively reach the right audiences as the primary value of digital advertising campaigns.”
Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing what marketing strategy to use for your business:
- Who needs your product or service? There are very few products that appeal to or meet the needs of everyone. You need to identify the specific person who needs what you are selling. Some people think of their target audience as an avatar or a persona.
Are they young or old? Is it specific to men or women? Will traditional or original methods influence them? What are their economic brackets, levels of education, and interests? Are you trying to reach professionals or the elderly? You must make these determinations so that when it comes time to spread the word, you will engage their attention.
- What do your customers need? Now that you have identified the target audience, you can more precisely determine their wants and needs. The magic of marketing is that it connects what consumers already want and what you offer.
It seems simple, but it can be treacherously complicated. Do your research. Learn what people are already searching for and how to meet those needs. Meet consumers where they already require a proactive mindset. For example, identify the local businesses that consumers frequent and “meet” them there.
ADLocal Value provides one-of-a-kind Carousels that feature slides in local businesses. This enables host businesses and advertisers to reach consumers with relevant marketing, utilizing places they already patronize.
- How will your audience discover you? If you’ve done the above-mentioned homework, then you know who your customers are, where they shop, and how to reach them.
If you own or operate a local establishment, using ALV Carousels almost guarantees your target audience. It provides an effective way to find the channels from which your audience is already getting their information and makes use of those channels.
- Can you network or co-market with related brands?
Look for businesses that share your audience. Co-marketing with a particular fitness center or baby blanket company can help both grow without taking away their customers. You can also host contests and giveaways and promote each other’s social media platforms.
At ADLocal Value, we offer an innovative and creative platform to advertise alongside similar businesses. For example, if you have a physical therapy business, you can promote it in the lobby of a doctor’s office by placing an ad in one of our Carousels. Or host a Carousel in your office building featuring other businesses within the building.
If you would like more creative marketing ideas so that you can find inventive ways to grow your audience and reach your target market, reach out to us today!