Reaching a local target audience isn’t always easy. Those with a shrewd eye for marketing certainly have an edge, and even then, there is no guarantee of reaching a desired customer base, especially a local one. Yet any business worth its weight knows the importance of a good marketing strategy.
Without one, you struggle to reach the traffic you need, which in turn means fewer click throughs and conversions. Thankfully, there are many great methods available that allow smaller businesses to target a local audience.
Check them out…
Identify the Audience First
Before you even attempt to reach a target audience, you need to identify them first, otherwise your marketing strategies will always lack direction. By knowing your primary audience, it’s easier to create a campaign that directly targets them, allowing you to determine the best methods to sell your products or services to your target demographic.
Think about who your ideal customer is. The people that are most likely to buy what you are selling and continue to do so going forward. Think about the overall demographic of your target audience, considering things such as age, geography, gender, income, marital status etc.
Not only does this allow you to focus on your most important audience, but also avoids wasting time and resources targeting those that won’t buy what you’re selling. Remember – no business truly targets ‘everyone’, so don’t make the mistake of trying this!
Try to Make Contact
If you establish who your local audience is, then it should be easier to reach out them, which is especially helpful for those lacking customers. Try to get directly in contact with your target audience so you know what they want and need from you.
This can be done in the form of surveys, email blasts, social media, or even the old-fashioned method of calling them. It may require some shrewd marketing to get through, with giveaways or special offers being a great way to reach your local target audience.
You might learn some hard truths too. For instance, if you reach out and find that you’re marketing to the wrong people or using the wrong strategies, take it as a chance to learn and evolve, whether it’s strategizing or pivoting to a new target audience.
Current Customers Offer Plenty of Insight
Much like reaching out to your target audience, take the time to speak with current or previous customers to determine more about your core demographic. This can be used to greatly enhance your reach, as you know more about your main client base and how to better reach them.
Ask about who they are, why they use your product or service, and what they like most about it. Again, surveys and emails work best for this and incentives may be needed to get as much data as possible.
Make the Most of Media
One of the best ways to reach your local audience is to utilise the power of media. It’s one of the biggest tools at your disposal, so be sure to take advantage of it, as you can be certain your competitors are doing as much!
Be mindful that different media works for different demographics. For instance, social media is a big hit with most audiences, with older demographics being the one of the few exceptions, in which case printed media typically is preferred.
Consider your budget when using media to reach your audience. Social media is generally much more cost-effective yet may not be worthwhile if you won’t reach much of an audience. Think about what works for your local audience (researching what media they consume helps greatly), including radio, television, print, online and social media.
Check Google for Data
Google Analytics is a fantastic tool for reaching your audience as it allows you to review habits of current traffic and clients. The reports will paint a clearer picture of who your local audience is, letting you better target them going forward.
You can spend more time and resources towards high traffic while avoiding low traffic demographics using this insightful data, so be sure to use it to your advantage! Google Analytics reports can be customised to suit your needs, with performance data available on traffic, content, keywords, and landing pages.