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You are not your target market Part 2

By Becky McCray

Cowboy singers

I may not like country music, but what do my customers like?

You are not your target market:
What you like doesn’t equate into what customers like.

I don’t like country music. I don’t like pop up newsletter subscription boxes. I don’t even like the idea of whipped cream flavored vodka. None of that should influence my marketing. What should? My customers.

What do my customers like? What music will appeal to them? Do they appreciate being offered a chance to subscribe to our newsletter? What flavored vodkas do they want to buy from my store? I can’t answer for them. I need to let my customers answer.

You let your customers answer by asking them directly, by measuring the changes in their responses when you change something, by split testing two different things against each other, by ordering the vodka and measuring sales.

Stop pretending your customers are the same as you.

You are not your target market:
Let your customers be themselves. 

See also:
You are not your target market Part 1: Quit hanging around with your own people. Go find the customers.

You are not your target market Part 3: You know too much.

You are not your target market: How to get more volunteer participation.
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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
  • Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020

November 14, 2011 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing Tagged With: service businesses

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Comments

  1. Kelsey says

    November 15, 2011 at 11:26 pm

    This is a good point. I think many people don’t think from a customer’s perspective.

  2. Keith Burtis says

    February 11, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    I think trying to think from the customers perspective is also futile. You only have your own experiences to daw from. i too don’t like country music but if it was going to double my sales i’d learn real quick. As becy states here it is important to ask and test. Too many business people from execs to small business owners sit at their boardroom tables trying to come up with something that will catch the eye of the customer or make a customer want to purchase. Unfortunately, they rarely listen to their customer base. They don’t even know how to ask the questions because they are not practiced at it.

    My one last point is that often businesses are looking for a new customer rather than listening to, or taking care of the ones they have. Start with what exists. that is where the data is. You’ll find natural extensions from there. I think i have to write a post on this now.

    Great article Becky!

    • Becky McCray says

      February 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm

      Great, Keith. I’m glad you liked it. I have to agree about focusing on existing customers first. Let us have the link, when you get that post written!

    • Becky McCray says

      February 11, 2013 at 7:59 pm

      Keith was quick! Here’s the link to his post: Why You CAN’T put your feet in the shoes of your customer

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