Technology allows us, as never before, to profile our target audience using not only demographic data but also behavioural and attitudinal data that lets us build personas which accurately represent customers and the prospects you will be targeting.

Historically, this information has only recently been readily accessible, but is still frequently overlooked by marketing departments and marketing companies as they rely on the techniques that have served them well in the past.

By exploiting technology to collect all the data necessary for creating personas, we can dramatically increase conversion for marketing initiatives by totally focussing on the perspective of the customer and, more accurately predicting his (her) reactions at different stages in the buying cycle.

Attention needs to be paid to the following elements of any marketing initiative:

• initial research
• clarify and quantify your objectives
• identify your target audience
• agree timescales & responsibilities
• select the most appropriate marketing channel(s)
• allocate budgets and predicted ROI
• introduce feedback mechanisms
• test, test, test again

Initial research

Research should be ongoing, and not conducted as a one-off exercise to validate the marketing plan (although this is better than no research at all). Research involves competitor analysis, client surveys, feedback forms, telephone conversations, complaints, support requests and, indeed, any interaction with the client where useful information can be captured.

Objectives

By taking the time to understand these objectives, how your company operates and what resources and skills are available, we are able to work with you to build a marketing plan that will help you achieve your business objectives.

Target audience

Historically, target audiences have been identified using demographic data which generalizes the perceived needs and profiles within a particular demographic range (eg. age, sex, income, religion).

Infinitely more valuable is to take a customer centric approach which, although using demographics, also uses additional data that is used to build up an understanding of the customer’s behaviour throughout the various stages of the buying cycle.

Because this approach involves a far greater understanding of the target audience’s motivations and behaviours, the results of any marketing activity are likely to far exceed those aimed at an average demographic.