Keeping Up With Your Target Market

You know, sometimes you can learn great business lessons while sitting in the most unlikely of places… church!

Curious? Of course you are. Read on.

Recently, my pastor was giving a sermon on how churches need to change their methods – not their message. In other words, they should convey the same morals and principles that have been around for thousands of years, but avoid using ancient approaches to reach today’s ever-changing society. And you can probably point out a number of churches that do this very well. Most now have websites where they provide information about the church, post announcements and upload audio files of their sermons for download. Many have blogs and podcasts, email newsletters, you name it.

My point? We can learn something from this!

Are you keeping up with your target market? Is it time to change your methods? Really consider this. I hear so many say “we’re entering a new technology age,” but the truth is – we’ve already entered this new age… and the door has slammed swiftly behind us!

Take me, for example. I’m not only computer literate… but actually quite computer dependent. I saw a truck on the Northway this morning, and it had a 1-800 number on the back. I thought to myself, “I will have to Google that number when I get to work.” Then I paused for a moment and had to laugh. The only use I have for a phone number is to Google it?! Are you keeping up with people like me? What happens when your business’s phone number is Googled?

In this day and age, people expect to find information about your business online. Think of your website as a sort of online brochure – an opportunity to really showcase what you have and seal the deal. What if someone asks for your “brochure” and Google tells them you don’t have one… so instead offers brochures from 2 of your top competitors?! What an opportunity you are missing out on if you don’t have Web presence.

Learn more about keeping up with your competition online.

So having a website is a given. What else is there?

Only you know your target market, and if it is a true niche, you will have to find the best ways to relate to them. But if you want my honest opinion, every business should have a website that is optimized for the search engines (even if it’s DIY SEO), advertise monthly or seasonal specials online and get listed in local guides — at minimum.

Other avenues to pursue would be maintaining an online blog, adding valuable content to your site, writing online articles, adding videos, sending announcements and specials through monthly email newsletter campaigns, creating a YouTube channel, participating in social media sites, adding a press or media section to your site for your press releases, grabbing attention through display advertising, getting increased visibility with Google PPC advertising, and the list goes on. Consider the way you look for and act on information, and try to use that as your guiding force to help you adapt your methods to your target audience.

“But my target market is old fashioned…”

Truth be told, not everyone is computer / Internet savvy, but a large part of the market already consists of Internet gurus — and many computer junkies (like me) — that means in a few short years everyone will be. Will you be ready? Are you ready now?

No matter if you are a religious person or not, take some great advice from my pastor, and change your methods of presenting your age-old message to keep up with your target audience!

Want some more in-depth advice on this? Feel free to give us a call here at Mannix Marketing 518-743-9424*, and we’ll be happy to go over a personalized Internet marketing plan with you.

*Or go ahead and Google our phone number!

About Sara Mannix

Sara Mannix founded Mannix in 1996 with a goal to get clients found on the web through organic search engine optimization (SEO). The company now serves over 1500 clients worldwide and employs a team of 30 specialists, operating under the tagline "Success Measured." The tagline reflects the company's focus on measurable results for every client. This multifaceted company is an industry leader, specializing in organic SEO, conversion rate optimization, SEO-friendly website design, paid advertising (PPC). Mannix Marketing has two divisions, one side is focused on lead generation for nationally competitive businesses. The other side is focused on local businesses. Mannix has one of the largest portfolios of tourism and city guides in Upstate New York. These guides, (Albany.com, Saratoga.com, LakeGeorge.com, and Adirondack.net etc), reach over 10 million visitors a year. Corresponding social media profiles for the region extend this reach to millions every month.

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