Part 2 - Field Guide 

Reaching “New” Customers

Thinking beyond the traditional demographics your competitors are “targeting” with their advertising can help you reach into untapped markets to increase your sales. In addition, you will be reaching people who aren’t in the market for your product or service today but might be in the future.

1.)   Destroy the sacred cows of media formats or target demographics. We used to think sports media, for example, targeted men only. But a full 47.5% of the Super Bowl audience is now female. Nearly 50% of the primary grocery shoppers in homes are men.

2.)   Stop thinking about your “average”’ customer. The days of being able to paint a picture of the “average” 30-year-old for example, are gone. A typical 30-year-old today might still be searching for their identity and living at home with mom and dad or might be a hugely successful owner of a dot com company. Stay-at-home dads and female company presidents are the new norm, not an anomaly. 

3.)   Talking to non-traditional demographics or targets in your ads will help your message stand out against competitors who are still targeting old-school demographics.

4.)   Think about targeting key influencers in addition to purchasers. Mom and Dad might influence the younger generation's financial decisions, while the younger generation might influence their parents' tech purchases.

5.)   Tell real-life stories in your ads that reach beyond the traditional norms and talk to a much wider target audience. 

6.)   Create a car care clinic for ladies at an auto parts store or jewelry making for men at a bead shop. 

7.)   Remember the words of marketing wizard Roy Williams, “It is amazing how many people become ‘the right people’ when you are saying the right thing.”