Have you ever watched a television commercial right to the end only to wonder what was being advertised? I saw one recently; epic-like with dazzling special effects and dramatic voice-over (no doubt, the budget was pretty dramatic as well). Problem was, as impressive as the production was, it didn’t tell me anything about the goods or services being peddled. Maybe the message was there and I missed it. Maybe others missed it too. Perhaps the soft murmur I heard that night wasn’t the breeze but other confounded viewers going “Huh?”
Now, I’m not an extraordinarily silly person but I’ve seen the same ad a couple of times since and still don’t know what it’s trying to tell me—or sell me. It could be targeted to a different demographic, I suppose, the members of which are the only ones meant to understand. Kind of like those mobile phones that only teenagers can hear or a high-pitched whistle that only dogs go barking mad over.
If that’s the case then perhaps the ad guys did their job well. If, on the other hand, the commercial was aimed at the targeted audience of that particular time slot for that particular television program, then methinks they got it horribly wrong. All I know is, I won’t be buying what they’re selling—because I don’t know what it is.
This whole ad confusion thing got me thinking, though, about just how important it is to know your target market. Only after really understanding who your ideal customers are can you effectively communicate what you’re offering them and why they should buy it. More importantly, you need to convey why they should buy from you instead of someone else.
In previous articles I’ve spoken a lot about the voice of the target market and how the language and tone used in marketing messages must match that of the market. If it doesn’t, the result is a lot of potential customers just not ‘getting it’—kind of like watching an ad on television and going “Huh?”
© Carol Dorman 2008
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Carol Dorman, owner of Quill Writing Services, also publishes Communicate, the monthly newsletter for small business owners who want to raise their profile and increase their profits by harnessing the power of words. Subscribe today at www.quillwritingservices.com.au and receive a free copy of her report: How to Convince your Target Market to Buy from You
2 comments:
You don't have any way of subscribing to your posts. You should consider putting and RSS feed on your site
Thanks Janeen,
I hadn't thought of that. Must admit I'm not very familiar with how RSS feeds work so this is probably a good time to expand my knowledge. : )
Cheers
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