For more niche businesses like food equipment companies, it can be easy to feel like you’re throwing your marketing budget at the wrong audience or shouting into the void instead of connecting with your ideal customer. Luckily, we’ve garnered some strategic tips to break down the process and guide you down the right path.
1. Define Your Ideal Customer
The first thing you need to do is figure out who would benefit the most from your products and services. What types of businesses or industries would be most likely to need them? It’s incredibly helpful to create buyer personas to get a clear picture of your ideal customer. These personas are essentially sample profiles of consumers that should include details like their demographics, job titles, pain points and buying habits. Once you have a clear understanding of your ideal customer, you can start targeting them more effectively.
2. Conduct Research
Once you feel like you know your ideal customer, it’s time to find out where they hang out online. Check out industry reports, publications and social media conversations to see what’s cooking in your niche market. See what your competitors are up to and what kind of marketing strategies they’re using to reach their target audience.
Think about who within your ideal customer’s organization would be responsible for making purchasing decisions related to the products. Chefs, kitchen managers, operations or logistics managers, and procurement teams are some of the people that might influence the purchasing decision in this particular market. By conducting a little research, you will gain valuable insights that will help you create a more targeted marketing strategy.
3. Consider Where They Are in the Buying Cycle
Next we need to factor in the buying cycle. Is your consumer just starting to research solutions, or are they ready to make a purchase? This will impact how you communicate with them and what type of content you need to create. For instance, if your ideal customer is in the early stages of research, you may want to create educational content that highlights the benefits of your products. On the other hand, if they’re ready to buy, you may want to offer a discount to encourage them to take action. If you’re not sure, it’s okay! It’s worth experimenting with different types of content and making adjustments along the way.
4. Use LinkedIn to Your Advantage
LinkedIn is known for their effective targeting tools that can help you curate your desired audience and run ads on relevant content. Narrow or broaden your audience using AND/ORs and other useful LinkedIn features. It’s a powerful platform that can help you reach decision-makers in your ideal customer’s organization. You can also use LinkedIn to create thought leadership content that establishes your food equipment company as a trusted authority in your niche!
5. Measure Your Results
The final step to pinpointing your target audience is measuring your results. Track the success of your marketing efforts consistently and adjust your strategy as needed. Use metrics like web traffic, lead generation, social engagement and sales to gauge the effectiveness of the targeted audience. By measuring your results, you can determine what is working and what is not, and make informed decisions about how to improve your marketing strategy.
Finding your ideal customer is crucial for any business, but it can be especially challenging for niche markets like food equipment companies. By following these five steps, you can pinpoint your target audience, craft a more effective marketing strategy, and ultimately connect with the customers who need your products and services the most. Don’t be afraid to experiment, adjust and pivot along the way. With some perseverance and strategic thinking, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your ideal customer base and growing your business. Good luck!
Have additional questions about finding your target audience, or are curious how ColinKurtis Advertising can help? Contact Mitch Robinson at Mitch@colinkurtis.com or call 815-965-6657 EXT. 1 to learn more.
Blog post from:
Matt Hensler
Vice President, Digital Integration
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