Getting to Know Your Customers

From advertisers to promo experts, everyone is always talking about how important it is to target your marketing efforts in a way that will appeal to your business’ unique audience. But what if you aren’t sure exactly who your primary audience is, or what will appeal to them?

Today, we’re going back to the basics and breaking down some helpful tools you can use to learn more about who your audience is, where you can find them, and how you can best appeal to them. In this blog, we’re starting with a brief overview of some popular strategies used by small and large businesses to gain valuable customer insights, but make sure to check back for upcoming articles where we’ll take a deeper dive into some of these techniques!

1. Take advantage of web analytics

Tools like Google Analytics and Hootsuite are powerful, user-friendly assets that any business with an online store or social media presence can take advantage of. Website and social media analytics tools can provide invaluable data on your audience’s online behavior, from telling you which of your posts are receiving the most attention, to giving you detailed demographic information about your customers and followers. Information like this can help you identify who your audience is, which parts of your content or business offerings resonate with them, and which areas need to be improved.

2. Use social media listening

Coursera defines social media listening as “the process of analyzing online conversations about your brand and your industry at large to find out more about your audience.” Social listening is incredibly important because by monitoring online conversations relevant to your business, you have the opportunity to engage in these online conversations, discover opportunities for growth or improvement, and stay in touch with the latest consumer trends. It can take some trial and error to find the right topics or keywords to track, but there are a ton of online resources like this HubSpot article to guide you along the way!

3. Conduct your own primary research

Consider asking your customers for direct feedback by conducting your own surveys. Well-structured surveys can act as windows into the minds of your customers, making them a popular tool among business owners and marketers who want to get to know their audiences, identify and solve problems with their existing business models, or find potential avenues for growth. Platforms like SurveyMonkey allow you to build your own questionnaires, or you can partner with a research firm to help you gain top-notch insights.

4. Create buyer personas

Buyer personas can be described as semi-fictional representations of your customers. Creating buyer personas is an extremely useful exercise when trying to understand who your customers are. The first step is to gather research on your target audience through a variety of strategies from surveys to focus groups, social media listening, etcetera. After you have collected all of this information, you construct an imaginary persona that represents the real characteristics you’ve uncovered about your target audience. One business can have many unique buyer personas based on demographics, unique needs, pain points, shopping patterns, and more. By conceptualizing your audience in this way, you can come to understand how to reach them effectively and meet their needs.

5. Engage in conversation with your customers

Last but not least, go right to the source! Customers are happy to be included in the conversation and asked for their opinions. Whether you welcome online reviews or chat up with your shoppers when they come into your store, you’ll be strengthening your customer relationships and gaining high-quality, first-hand insights from your target audience themselves.

We hope that these tips will help you to begin the journey to gaining a deep understanding of your audience. But remember, getting to know your customers is an ongoing process that requires dedication and commitment. Stick with it, and you’ll be able to create tailored marketing campaigns, promotional product lines, and strong customer relationships that’ll drive growth and success for your business!