__________________________ Finding Your Target Market Elizabeth McGee __________________________ Note: If this shows in your browser, simply click "File" in your browser and select "Save As" and make sure that file type is text (.txt) Links in this article do not show as active because this is a text file. Why text (.txt) format? Text files are much easier to download, don't require much disk space, and easier to print. ======================================================== THE CENTER FOR INTERNET MARKETING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION http://bizinfo.manila.ph ======================================================== Hi, This is Ave Ramel, the Coach of the Center for Internet Marketing Research and Education, exponent of internet marketing since 1999. This article was evaluated by your Coach and made available for The Center's archive for new subscribers. After mastering this article, proceed to our Internet Marketing Knowledge Base at http://bizinfo.manila.ph/knowledge-base As a favor, please forward this article to all your friends you want to help and who would like to earn income from the Net. Cheers, Ave Ramel, Coach P.S. Start your home business online with this global opportunity - the world's first instant powdered green iced tea P.P.S. You can do your business in 32 countries using the internet. Proceed now to http://freeonlineschool.manila.ph/resensa ================ YOUR NEXT STEPS: ================ Internet Marketing Services: 1. Get Coached - personalized coaching, at your most convenient time and place Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/coaching 2. Hire A Retainer-Consultant for your corporation or marketing campaigns Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/consultancy 3. Add one profit center to your company minus the overhead costs - your own internet marketing arm. Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/outsourcing Available on the Web: 1. Internet Marketing Knowledge Base - the archive contains selected and annotated articles, lessons, and ebooks, including secrets, tips and tricks, categorized into the following general subjects: - Advertising - Affiliate Programs - Beginner and Web Design - Customer Relations Management - E-mail Marketing - Sales Conversion - Search Engine Marketing - Search Engine Optimization - Strategy and Tactics - Web Promotions This includes The Net Marketing Review (newsletter) containing researches, latest updates, and strategies that are analyzed and tested by The Center. Proceed now and download free stuffs like this article at http://bizinfo.manila.ph/knowledge-base 2. Do-It-Yourself for ... Beginners or Newbies Intermediate Students Advanced Students Professionals Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/school 3. Proceed to your Coach's Weblog located at http://aredconsult.blogspot.com and discover secrets, tips, and tricks __________________________ Finding Your Target Market Elizabeth McGee __________________________ Achieving sales is probably the biggest challenge a web business owner has. It requires a balanced mix of the right products, competitive pricing, optimal web design, aggressive advertising and attracting the right online visitors. While all of the above are equally important in achieving abundant sales, none of them will work at all if you don't target the people that are most likely to buy your products or services. These people are known as your target or niche market. Focusing in on your niche market will allow you to find only those that are ready, willing and able to buy what you have to offer. Your niche market provides you the competitive edge over larger corporations because larger companies tend to market to a much broader range of people. Their promotions are more generalized and less focused. For them, the smaller markets are not worth bothering with. This now becomes your opportunity to capture those highly defined niche markets that they left behind. ==================== Defining your Market ==================== In order to find these people you must first determine who they are. This might sound like a simple or perhaps insignificant question at first but it can possibly make or break the success of your sales if you don't give it some serious thought. Here's how to get started. Think about the following and jot down all those that might apply to people interested in your products or services. Don't rule out any category completely. Think about each group of people and how they might apply. Age Group: infants, children, teens, young adults, baby boomers, middle aged, elderly or all. Gender: Male, female or both. Marital Status: single, married, divorced, widowed or all. Ethnic or religious backgrounds Occupations: Executives, doctors, lawyers, housewives, business owners, teachers, blue collar, white collar, students, out of work, etc. Health Status: healthy, diseased, home bound, active, sedentary, etc. Interests: sports, hiking, music, arts, computers, reading, television, animals, home, decorating, cars, walking, running, relaxation, health conscious, age conscious, physical fitness, etc. Income status: low income, middle income, high income, no income. Education: high school dropout, high school, college, MBA, PHD, hates school, loves school, etc. Certainly all categories are not listed above, however these can get you started on thinking about all the possibilities. Next, it's important to determine what benefits you are offering. Examine your products or services carefully listing all the benefits that you can think of. Perhaps take a poll of your existing customers and ask them what it is they like about your products or services. What benefits them the most. Once you have a listed all of the benefits, think about what people would be interested in these benefits based on your list above. Then put them together to assist you in reaching a market that will bring you sales. =========================== Reaching Your Target Market =========================== Search engines are the best way of finding a targeted market because those searching on the web can type in exactly what they are searching for and receive the targeted traffic the search engines so proudly advertise. But attaining good placement on the search engines is often difficult and time consuming. Ezines and newsletters are a very effective alternative. Most ezines cover specific subjects such as finance, marketing, health, internet, etc. Your job will be to find an ezine whose topic matches your target market. To do this you must locate an ezine directory. Directories usually list contact information, advertising rates, and circulation. Once you find a targeted ezine then place your ad. Be sure your ad includes as many of your product benefits as the ad will allow. The idea is to define your target market specifically enough so that you can find the appropriate place to advertise and then create sales messages that make your readers feel you are talking directly to them. You'll be amazed at the amount of traffic you can receive by finding your target market and reaching them in the appropriate location. ================= About the Author ================= Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the world wide web helping businesses find trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. You can contact Elizabeth at: mail@pro-marketing-online.com or visit her websites: http://www.pro-marketing-online.com http://www.homenotion.com ============================== Let Me Help You Get Customers: ============================== AREDCONSULT SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS I. EXECUTIVE COACHING - for busy entrepreneurs, decision-makers and marketing executives who can't spare much time away from their office operations but must immediately grasp and harness internet marketing to contribute to the company's profitability. I will come to you instead. I offer you customized lessons, varied delivery, and at your own time, place and pacing. II. WEBSITE CRITIQUE - for those who already have a website but the results didn't satisfy your expectations, especially your bottomline - profit. I offer you immediate and in-depth assessment. III. RETAINER CONSULTANCY - for those who prefer to consult an internet marketing expert anytime, similar to a retainer legal counsel, especially for those who are launching regular internet marketing campaigns. IV. INITIAL EXPERT ASSESSMENT & STRATEGY FORMULATION - for those with no website yet but seriously planning to publish one on the Web, it is better to hear from an expert first before plunging to unfamiliar field. This might save you huge sums of money. Also, from the axiom "always start with a strategy in mind" - this shall cover your strategy and tactics. V. PROJECT CONSULTANCY - includes website design, installation of website functions, and search engine optimization (SEO); database design, programming, and development; installation of ecommerce functions. VI. STAFF TRAINING - for those who intend to maintain an internet marketing team or have already an existing one, I will analyze and improve your process, update your staff's skills, and provide them with continuous online training. VII. INTERNET MARKETING PROMOTIONS - for those who want to outsource or contract out the whole internet marketing promotion processes. We will become one of your profit centers with a very cost-efficient operation. Business processes that can be outsourced include submission of your website to search engines, email campaigns, mailing list management, product upsell and cross-sell, website content build-up, weblog content, link exchange with other websites, customer relations management, etc. http://bizinfo.manila.ph/coaching http://bizinfo.manila.ph/consultancy http://bizinfo.manila.ph/outsourcing ======== CONTACT: ======== Ask Aredconsult online for any internet marketing questions: http://www.aredconsult.com/ask-aredconsult.htm E-mail: mastermind@ask-the-expert.com Production Office: Tel. # 728-9613 or leave voice mail Corporate Address: Rm. 404 Parchouse II EDSA, Guadalupe Nuevo, beside Sogo Hotel 1200 Makati City, The Philippines ***Trust in the Lord with all your heart***