Navigating the Marketing Options
It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of marketing tactics – social media (and all of the different platforms that are encompassed by that), commercials, giveaways, promotions, and the hundreds of other ways that you can show off your brand. There are so many and they each do something different. What’s the best way to determine what works best for you?
Go where your target audience is.
How to Find the Customers
Once you define your ideal client, make a list of where you can find them. For example, if your focus is on Gen Z girls, you can usually find them on social media, at the mall, and arcades geared toward older crowds (such as Main Event). However, if your aim is military veterans in their 50s, you are much more likely to find them at a shooting range or an Army Navy store.
Do your research to find where your customers spend most of their time, some of their time, and none of their time. This will help narrow your search so that you aren’t barking up the wrong tree. If you are concentrating on Instagram ads for elderly women, you are wasting both time and money when both could be better spent on mail outs with coupons and freebies.
Listen to the Crowd
Make sure that you are paying attention to others, such as my 13-year-old laughing at me because “Facebook is for old people.” If you are focusing on social media, note what people are talking about. Is there a TikTok trend for book lovers? (See #BookTok) Libraries and book stores should use it to draw the attention of other followers. Use what you know and get to know your customers on their terms!
