The root of any marketing flop is in the lack of understanding about the target.
So how does one go about getting to know the target better?
1) Go where they shop and watch how they do it. Who are they with? What do they pick up and then put down? Why? Even if you’re not selling grocery products, you’ll learn more about the target there than in any other space.
2) Talk to them. Ask how their closest friend would describe them. Ask them what they wake up giving a damn about in the morning.
3) Talk to the target’s friends. Confirm what the target thinks they would say is actually what the friends say.
4) Invest the four or five hours to learn how to use online forums and use them. It’s incredible how open people are online and what they’re willing to say about themselves.
5) Break out the colored pencils and start drawing exactly how you think the target looks. Is she wearing flashy jewellery? Why? Is her hair curled? Why? Is she wearing wedges instead of high-heels? Why did you draw those on her?
Turns out you know more about the target than you think you do… if only you’d take the time to think about them instead of how to get in front of them.
6) Get outside. Not at your computer. Outside. It doesn’t matter where.
7) Don’t simply ask what the target thinks about your product. Let them use it, feel it, be with it and watch. Most don’t know what they really think about something until they make it part of their life.
It’s not a clean process. Nor is it easy. But it’s a starting action-list for learning, understanding and selling to the target. Who would have guessed that all you needed to do is take a proactive approach to listen to the target?
Stay Positive & Now You Know
