An often ill-fated presumption is that advertising to every single audience through a generic, overly safe response will reap the best results. While it cannot be argued that this novice-level tactic has in fact achieved success for retailers in the past, it does somewhat undermine the capabilities of direct marketing as a platform.
It's also not suitable for every type of business, perhaps your very own. You might have an eye on attracting consumers from your local catchment, and you'd gain a lot more from advertising to a defined pool of prospective customers rather than taking on the whole world. This could come later if your e-commerce venture really takes off.
For now, you should be looking to build a solid reputation amongst people with a genuine interest in your products or services. This is how businesses improve levels of customer satisfaction and encourage brand loyalty.
However, before deciding that you're after golfers in the Yorkshire region, it might be wise to read up on exactly why targeted email marketing just... works.
Focus
Imagine two people entering your shop, or just a shop for that matter. One heads straight to the aisle and begins to examine a specific product. The other looks rather overwhelmed by everything presented; the selection, perhaps the music being played or even the shop layout. The first person carries a clear interest in a product on display and begins weighing up a purchase.
The other is probably just biding their time until they can exit without looking suspicious. If just one member of staff is there to help, they should of course ask the prospective customer if they require assistance before asking the confused person. It's a simple matter of priority.
This is how targeting marketing works. It filters out the people with limited interest in your service and reaches those that matter.
Easier to track
The success of your campaign is much easier to track with a defined contact list. You can determine exactly what's going wrong for those that may actually want to make a purchase. They should, in theory, wish to click on links, create a second point of contact and follow up their initial interest.
An impulse buyer on the other hand may click straight off your message 10 - 20 times before un-subscribing, ruining your statistics. You must therefore create a tailored campaign that speaks directly with your target audience. This is the best way to find out whether your marketing is hit or miss.
Easier to write
You'll soon realize just how easy it is to construct a targeted campaign after forming your mail out list. Think of your customers as those passionate about the things you want to offer; what you want to achieve as a retailer or service provider. That way you're not trying to appease new groups of consumers.
Just watch the words flowing into your newsletters and their containing blogs. Finally, the chance to say what you really want to say! It's also worth mentioning that the new business may well stem from recommendations, which is why you must identify a defined group of consumers beforehand. This group will happily spread the word if you've excelled in a particular area, giving you a little incentive along the way.
Faizan Ahmad About the Author:
This article is posted by Faizan who is the Author and Founder of TechSenser. He is a Professional Blogger from India and a passionate writer about Technology, Gadgets, How-to-Guides, etc. You can connect him on Google+.