When you are advertising your business you need to make sure that you are placing it in the right place and with the right message.  These two important items are usually missed simply because many businesses owners do not know exactly who their customers are.

You should know your customers Geographic, Demographic and Psychographic variables.  If you don’t then I can guarantee you are losing money on your advertising. When this information is known you can make a educated decision when a sales representative from a magazine, radio station, newspaper, etc tries to sell you advertising. You will be able to weed out the poor choices by simply asking them who their readership or listeners are.  Most of the professional media companies will know this information.  If they are vague with the answer or if their data is old and out dated then they are not the right fit for you.

Here are some things you should know:

Geographic Variables (Helps determine where to advertise.)

  • Region
  • Size
  • Population Density
  • Climate

Demographic and Psychographic variables will help determine what media to place your advertising in and what copy and imagery you should use.

Demographic Variables

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Family Size
  • Income
  • Occupation
  • Ethnicity
  • Religion
  • Education
  • Marital Status

Psychographic Variables

  • Activities
  • Interests
  • Opinions
  • Attitudes
  • Values

Even if you only identify some of the variables listed above it will help you
make better decisions and save you money on your advertising.

After you have this information it is extremely important to tailor your advertising and message to attract the right customers.  For example if you are looking to attract customers with families you do not place images of single persons in your ads.  You also make sure that the copy is properly written to appeal to the segment you are trying to attract.  Don’t be afraid to use a lot of copy.  After all if a potential customer is reading your advertisement it is better to give everything they need to make a decision to call you then not enough information.  Then when they do call they are a much warmer prospect.

Let me know how you are doing.  As always your comments are appreciated.