Your business is all set up, but you need to ask yourself ‘who are my customers?’, this is vital information which will structure your marketing strategy and plans in order for them to be effective. Everything you do will be based on your audience, therefore correctly determining who they are should be the first step in your business objectives. Even if you already know who your customers are, this is always liable to change therefore regular monitoring and checks are essential.
Research- You would have invested a LOT of time, effort and money into knowing your product/service inside and out, but have you made the same commitment to knowing your audience? Perhaps not. But, you need to remember- they are the ones buying the product! You need to know who they are, why they want your product and how you can convince them to purchase. The best way to find this information out is research. We recommend firstly asking family, friends, a friend of friends etc their opinion on your product, why they want (or do not want) your product and how you could convince them to purchase. Another method is looking at your competitor’s audiences, if they have a similar product or service then your audience may be alike. Once you have some basic research, do not let the mixture of feedback sway you from your vision. Take this feedback literally- if they did not love your product they are most likely not the target audience, if they did then they most probably are.
Test- When starting up a business, it is all about trial and error. You have no historical data to work from, therefore you need to test different techniques to establish what works well and what doesn’t. Industry benchmarks will give you a rough guide but remember you are your own business, therefore, will not be 100% the same as the rest of the industry. Do not expect thousands of sales during the testing phase, this is time to make mistakes and learn from them. If you do receive sales then great! Carry on doing what you are doing to achieve these sales, they are clearly working. The testing part is not only a great way to discover your audience, but also finetune your concept to be the best it can be.
Never stop communicating with customers- You have established your target audience, BUT this will constantly be changing and evolving. Therefore, always communicate with your target audience and potential audiences in order to be constantly in the know. You do not want to miss opportunities or be marketing to the wrong person entirely. Customers all want a trustworthy, loyal and engaging brand, if they feel a brand has listened to their feedback they will appreciate this and pave the way for a long lasting relationship.
Here are some great ways of finding out who your ideal audience is:
Social media
Surveys
Events
Past purchases
Behaviour
Demographics
Keyword research
Customer personas
Competitor research
For further insights and guidance, we invite you to explore our blog at 07hm.co.uk/blog. Here, you’ll find a wealth of information tailored to the needs and challenges of SMEs navigating the digital landscape. Additionally, if you have specific questions or need personalised advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at info@07hm.co.uk or telephone on 01702 410663.
