BY HANNAH RAMSEY

One size does not fit all when it comes to marketing . A thoughtful strategy is imperative to ensure you communicate with those most likely to act – your target audience . Rather than running ads in various places and hoping they find their intended audience , your marketing dollars are better spent on specific messaging strategies intentionally directed at particular audiences .

If you follow the three “ R ’ s ,” right audience , right offer , right time , you ’ ll get a fourth – results .

Right audience

No matter how great your content is , it will fall flat if not directed to the right people . Content must be written with the end viewer in mind , featuring what they care about or need and keeping their preferences in mind .

Identifying your audience requires a bit of research and consideration . Are you marketing to people already familiar with your brand ( regulars or absentees ?), or are you looking to attract new customers ? What problem does your audience need to solve , and what product or service of yours will help solve it ?

Consider your target audience ’ s demographics ( age , gender , occupation , etc .), geographics ( location ), and psychographics ( personality , lifestyle , beliefs , etc .). Use your existing customer data to find trends among the three or go directly to the source via surveying your database .

Right offer

Once you ’ ve established whom you ’ re talking to , plan what to tell them . Your message should be memorable , clear , and make users want to take action . Take everything you learned about your target audience to help determine what will resonate with them most .

Data comes into play here as well . If you ’ re targeting existing customers , look at their past purchasing behavior . Can you send offers for them to upgrade or purchase accessories for an item ? Are they due for a service appointment and need an incentive to visit again ?

If you ’ re targeting new customers , you ’ ll likely need a stronger offer to get them to decide to do business with you versus a competitor . Consider what advantages you offer over the competition when crafting your message .

Right time

You ’ ve heard it before – timing is everything . You might have the right offer for the right person , but if it ’ s not reaching them when they ’ re ready to purchase , they likely won ’ t go through with it .

You can ’ t read your audience ’ s minds , but you can monitor their behavior . If a customer is returning to the same page on your website multiple times or repeatedly clicking on one section of your email newsletter , that indicates a specific interest .

Targeting relevant life milestones like buying a home or getting married can also help you meet your customers where they are , and market products aligned to their current lifestyle and needs .

Results

Let ’ s put these three “ R ’ s ” into practice with a real-world example of a campaign we ran for a motorcycle dealership .

We were tasked with improving customer relationships and driving business specifically to the service department . We surveyed customers to determine the perceived opinion of the stores and their staff , behavior motivation , ideal areas of improvement , and opportunities for further engagement . Research indicated location and trust in staff and services were primary factors in where their audience took their bike . Since the service department had seen a decline in business from existing customers and their location had not changed , it was clear that trust was an issue .

Based on this and the sales goals , we proposed enticing lapsing customers using a direct mail piece that offered $ 50 off any service within one month . It also invited them to a major upcoming event where they could meet new and existing customers , rebuild trust , and have fun .

We developed the most targeted list possible with the highest chance of response by using a list of service department customers who had not been in for six months or more , ( minus any out-ofmarket customers ). The mailer content focused on appreciation and had a clear call to action – come in , save $ 50 , and attend the event .

As a result , the dealership enjoyed a net profit of more than $ 16k , a return on investment of 605 %! And , they had the opportunity to reconnect with formerly lapsing customers , helping to ensure continued business in the future .

So , how will you put the three “ R ’ s ” into practice for your business ? If you need some help , Pushing the Envelope , Inc . has years of experience developing strategic campaigns for our clients . Reach out to us at getpushing . com / contact .

Hannah Ramsey is the Client Relations & Marketing Specialist with Pushing the Envelope , Inc ., a strategic marketing communication firm based in Fort Myers , Florida , servicing clients both regionally and nationally . She enjoys developing a partnership with her clients and coming alongside them to help reach their business goals .

12 October 2023 www . boatingindustry . com