When promoting or selling products one has to know what his/her target audience is. Well, at least I see it that way. You have to study your potential prospects and find what needs they have, how they want a particular problem to be solved and how they want to be served/delivered a particular product or service. All these things help marketers and entrepreneurs to build a core group of loyal customers which eventually spread the word and create that word of mouth effect everyone is trying to achieve. One way to do all of the above and find what people want and think is to read forum posts where these prospects congregate. Asking people to take surveys or reading other people's websites who are already reaching the target audience is yet another way to study your prospects. Do you guys know or have you tried other methods? What is your experience in this field? How would you define what hooks to use in order to lure prospects you want to target? Thanks in advance! All comments and opinions will be highly appreciated! I look forward to reading your thoughts.
I think that polls are a pretty good way to find what prospects think. However, when people decide to purchase it is the emotions (more or less) that drive them to buy this particular thing.
With a hammer and chisel. At least it feels that way sometimes Seriously, it depends on what type of product you're promoting. As I see it, there are two basic types of products, problem solvers and luxury items. Problem solvers are easier because you don't have to really market to the individual buyer, just to the problem itself. If you can identify the problem your product solves, make the case for how having that problem is bad and solving it will benefit people, then present a path to the solution product you can make sales. Luxury items are a different story though. This is when you really have to connect with your market and cater to the potential needs and desires of every prospect if you want to make sales. Sometimes forums are good resources for researching what those needs and desires are, but actually personal blogs have been a better source of information for me. The problem is it takes a lot of labor to find and scour the personal blogs of people you believe are in your target market... and even when you find them they won't always offer any relevant information for you. That's why I say it's like using a hammer and chisel, because you have to fight for every bit of useful information. But, for example if you knew that professional women between the ages of 30 and 45 were your primary targets for a luxury type item, then researching the personal blogs of women that age might give you deeper insights than forums because people are more candid and intimate on their blogs than they tend to be in public forums.
Create a yellow brick road that looks like candy and has a big dollar green dollar bill at the end of it(the castle)
Checking out your competition's websites - that is a good idea. Going on blogs and forums is also good. But it does depend on the product or service you are selling. You must create a comfort zone for your prospects. See what the leader (in whatever field) is doing - then try to provide a better product/service and start with a special grand opening price. And of course ask: "How are we doing? Were you happy with ( whatever )? please leave us some feedback."
That is a MUST do when analyzing the market and before you actually start advertising or selling to your potential clients.
I just posted a You Tube video on researching forums for one of my opt-in lists the other day. I think related forums can be a great way to find your target market's needs. Here's the video if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxMH6B88uaY Kent
Knowing your target market is absolutely key in having a successful business. You need to know who your market is and where they are. You can study a lot of the "top dawgs" in the field and piggy back off of what they are doing. Pay attention and learn from them. You can guarantee what they are doing works because you know they have tested and tested to find the best way. When you know where your target market is you just have to start building relationships with them. Listen to them and hear where they are having their biggest struggle. Then find the solution to their problem and help them. I believe you are pretty much right on with finding your target market except maybe I wouldn't use words like lure and hook. But more power to you. You are definitely on the right track.
Thank you for sharing your opinion with us, Breanne! You have pointed out some key moments that are definitely worth taking into account.