Where Are Your Future Customers?

Sounds like a simple enough question doesn’t it? But, can you answer the question?

Let’s ask this another way. Where do your prospective customers go to find your product or service? Are they going to a brick and mortar store? Are they asking their peers? Are they mimicking the choices of their competitors? Are they performing online searches, based on their needs? Are they buying online at indie boutiques or big box e-retailers? Or are they lingering all over the place, waiting for a celebrity endorsement or a slew of testimonials before they make a purchase?

What does it matter, right? Your customers are everywhere aren’t they? Well, it’s slightly more complicated…

Now, let me ask, where are you marketing your business? Are you using the correct marketing channels to reach your customers? I know so many people are relying on social media to make them rich. However, social media is not the only answer. The marketing and sales process has existed since the beginning of time, and the fundamental process has not changed.  You still have to go where your customers are looking to buy your product or service.

I’ll address social media since that’s the general marketing tool of choice these days, especially for DIY business owners. If your customers are not looking for you on social media, all the tweeting and facebooking in the world will not create sales. If you don’t know your audience, there lies a fundamental flaw in your sales and marketing strategy.

Here’s a bit of advice: Define Your Target. Once you figure out your target market, you can find the social media platforms they most often use. Look at those platforms as the basis for your social media strategy.

If your customers aren’t around to hear your message, it really doesn’t matter how loud you shout it, nor how any times you say it, does it? So again, I ask my original question: where are your future customers? If you cannot answer this question, I suggest you figure out how to find them. They just might be looking for you too!

Ciao,
Miss Kemya