Recession Proofing Your Brand Marketing

In a tough economy it is often difficult to know where to focus advertising, promotions and marketing efforts. But one method that continues to work whether the economy is struggling or not is target marketing. If you focus your promotions and advertising toward your best customers and other people like them you can recession proof your brand marketing.

Defining your essential market is not as difficult as it may seem. An open dialog between you and your customers should help you develop a picture of what an essential market looks like. How old are they, where do they live, what level of education have they attained, why are they buying your product and other similar questions will help you determine the mindset of your most valued customers. Once you know who your customer is it is much easier to determine how to market your product or service to them.
Most businesses have multiple markets. Defining your secondary markets can deliver huge dividends. More than likely your secondary market looks somewhat similar to your primary or essential market. If your primary market is looking for the quality of service that your business provides, chances are your secondary market is interested in that same level of service.

Developing secondary markets can be frustrating but if you know the reasons your primary market buys from you, it should not be too difficult to figure out other groups that may be interested in purchasing for the same reason. This allows you to continue to focus your marketing efforts in the same manner but direct the information to different places.

Your primary and secondary markets may respond to different promotions or marketing campaigns. If a secondary market includes younger buyers it may make sense to focus your marketing efforts at social media. Provide legitimate content that provides value and avoid traditional sales techniques.

Offer valuable information and allow conversions to be secondary. Get to the point, offer a solution quickly, younger markets are used to finding information and won’t waste their time on hyperbole. 

Testimonials from real people can break through the distrust many younger people have of corporations. Your corporate values are important to young customers; let them know about your causes and how you help out in the community.

Focusing your marketing efforts toward your primary and secondary markets allows you to continue to do what you do best during any economy.