Part 2 – Field Guide

Reaching “New” Customers

The world has changed and will continue to evolve. Today, some men get pedicures and some women repair their own vehicles. Thinking beyond the traditional demographics your competitors are “targeting” with their advertising can help you reach untapped markets to increase your sales. 

1.) Destroy the sacred cows of media formats or target demographics. We used to think sports media, for example, targeted men only. As recent as the 2020 season, 47% of the NFL audience is now female.  Tide detergent advertises in with the NFL and during the Super Bowl. Are they targeting the 47% of women or the 53% of men?  The answer is, both!

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 their 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 parent’s 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 “off-target” events like a ladies' Do-it-yourself day at an auto parts store or automotive repair shop, or a cooking seminar for men at a grocery store.

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.”