by:Carol Dorman
Advertising is often described as a “hit or miss” endeavour. You shoot off an ad into the big, bad world, hoping it will land somewhere nice and reap a substantial return on investment (thats R.O.I. for those playing at home…)
DREAM ON!
One of the most important aspects of any marketing campaign is to direct it to the “Target Market”. But exactly who is the Target Market? That isn’t always an easy question to answer. Alas, the people your ad needs to reach simply don’t have bullseyes on their shirts or the words: “Pick me! Pick me!”, flashing in psychedelic neon lights across their foreheads. (Conjures up a pretty wacky image though….)
Even industries in which the target market seems straightforward may, for some campaigns, need to analyse further just who they’re trying to reach. Indeed, some campaigns may well be more effective when directed at the target market within the target market.
Let me explain using OMalleys Tractor Company as an example.
** NB: the following story is fictitious and any similarity to tractor companies or OMalley, for that matter – is purely coincidental **
OMalleys Tractor Company has been making tractors for generations. Its one of the best-known tractor companies around. OMalleys customers range from the rural sector – farmers, market gardeners and the like – to landscapers, excavation contractors and the building industry. Even the local council has been using OMalley tractors pretty much since the company began.
Mr OMalley Senior reckons his grandson, Paddy, is about to take the business to a whole new level with his invention, the OMalley Widget-Weeder-Feeder
The OMalley Widget-Weeder-Feeder (or WWF) is a weed-spraying device that attaches to the roof of a tractor, allowing the operator to kill unwanted plant species as he ploughs the land. Everyone in the OMalley clan knows hes onto a winner!
Theres just one question .
HOW DOES PADDY SELL HIS WIDGETS?
Well, there are several options. Paddy could take out a full-page ad in all the trade magazines represented by OMalleys customer base. Publications such as: Builders Weekly, Farmers Own, Life on the Land, Renovators Digest, Build it and Guild It. But how effective would this be?
Paddy would make sure the ad was pretty. Great graphics, glossy and well laid out no expense spared to showcase the family companys newest jewel. But how effective would this be? Would the return on investment justify the expense in placing ads in all these magazines?
Who is the target market according to this scenario?
OMalleys entire customer base.
Who should the target market be for this ad campaign? In other words, which section of OMalleys customer base would benefit most from this new product? Who is the target market within the target market?
The OMalley Widget-Weeder-Feeder is a valuable tool for farmers, market gardeners people working on the land. Placing ads in magazines catering to these readers will therefore have a greater chance of being acted upon than ads placed in other publications. For example: Farmers Own readers will be more responsive than subscribers to Build it and Guild It. Basically, Paddys Return on Investment ratio will be higher by placing ads only in correctly targeted publications.
SO, HOW DOES PADDY SELL HIS WIDGETS?
By fully analysing just who his target market is for this particular advertising campaign. When Paddys next invention, Widget Mark 4 boon to the demolition and excavation industry is ready for sale, his target market will be different yet again.
Marketing may still be a hit or miss endeavour, however, by scrutinising and analysing the target market for each individual campaign, you can dramatically increase the number of direct hits and the number of sales.
Happy hunting!
© Carol Dorman 2006
Carol Dorman is a Commercial Writer and owner of Quill Writing Services. Contact Quill for all your writing needs including: marketing copy, business letters, procedure manuals, ghost writing, web content, editing, proofreading and more.
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