5 Tips to Help You Identify WHO To Market To

If you have your own small business, it's important to decide exactly who you will be marketing your products or services to. After all, you probably don't have the time or the money to market to everyone. And even if you did, it is not recommended.

You'll want to select what is called a "target audience." This is an identifiable group of people you believe will be the best prospects for your business.

But for many small business owners, narrowing their focus to one primary group of people can be a challenging task. They want to help everyone - and very often their product or service CAN help a variety of people.

It also goes against human nature to narrow your focus in order to grow a business. Common sense seems to tell us if we want to grow our business big, we need to appeal to more people.

In reality the opposite is true. When we narrow our focus to a particular group of people we become an expert in solving their particular problems. We get to know them very well and we can develop additional products and services to fill their needs.

So how do you decide who to market to?

Following are 5 tips:

1) Think about the type of people who can MOST benefit from what you have to offer.

2) Think about who you would most enjoy helping, or working with.

3. Think about the type of people who will be easiest to reach, AND who will be most receptive to what you are selling. These will be people who KNOW they have THE problem you can solve and are LOOKING for a solution.

4) Know that just because you select a particular group of people to focus your marketing on, does NOT mean you can't help others who may come to you. It only means you're going to focus your proactive marketing efforts on the target group you select.

5) Lastly, don't over-think it. Listen to your gut, pick a group you feel you can really help and proceed with the development of your marketing plan. Marketing is a fluid process. The important thing is to start. You can always refine your audience and your plan later as you learn more.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

20-year marketing veteran, consultant, author, teacher and coach Debbie LaChusa has developed The 10stepmarketing System to help small business owners successfully market their business, themselves. To learn more about this simple, step-by-step program and to sign up for her FREE audio class and FREE weekly ezine featuring how-to articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.10stepmarketing.com

---

Test Marketing--How to Increase Your Direct Mail Marketing Response by Using the Internet to Test

I've discovered a really fantastic way to discover what works... Read More

Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples)

I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer,... Read More

Money-Makers Secrets to Renting Profitable Mailing Lists

As an entrepreneur involved in selling and/or promotion... Read More

Freebie Seekers? Turn Them Into Clients and Referrers - or Turn them Far, Far Away

Many service business owners these days are "giving away" their... Read More

Why Insight and Flexibility is More Important than Perseverance in Marketing

Marketing successfully requires not only insight into how a product... Read More

How to Use Your Newsletter to Research Your Market

A few decades ago, in the early days of automatic... Read More

Promotional Magnets: Promotion that Sticks

Some people are happy with just a business card. For... Read More

Is Your Company A Member Of The Community?

One particularly hot south Texas day, I was making a... Read More

Create A Business Card That Sells and is Effective

Why does your business need a business card?Business card is... Read More

Reasons Why People Usually Dont Buy Again

There are many psychological reasons why people will buy from... Read More

Customers Are Like Vampires

No, customers aren't bloodsuckers (well, maybe a few are!) and... Read More

The Marketing Plan and the Four P?s

The Marketing Plan section of the business plan demonstrates how... Read More

Hermey Wants To Be A Dentist

December marked the 40th anniversary of the original broadcast of... Read More

Build your Trade Show - Virtually

Virtual trade shows are gaining momentum as a way to... Read More

What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional?

Over the past 30 years, I've read so much on... Read More

Self Promotion Brings Business Success

Your business success depends on your ability to promote your... Read More

Free Publicity for Restaurants

One of the best ways to get a restaurant free... Read More

How To Create A Complete Referral Marketing System

These steps are taken from the Referral Flood Marketing Program.... Read More

How to Set Up & Organize Your Customer Mailing List For Optimum Results

Your list of customers who have previously bought from you... Read More

Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth

Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant... Read More

How To Market Effectively Even If No One Understands What You Do

So how do you effectively market your product or service... Read More

Cause-Related Marketing

Altruism. Corporate responsibility. Philanthropy. These are often used to describe... Read More

The Easiest Marketing Plan Youll Ever Find

When it comes to marketing there's simply too many choices.... Read More

Build Lifelong Networks With Your Own Barter Group

I don't know if you have ever seriously considered bartering.... Read More

The A-Z of Exhibiting Overseas

Exhibiting overseas is one of the fastest and most cost... Read More