Selecting a target audience for your next marketing campaign is vital to its success. Whether you choose to address new customers or current customers will determine what your message says, what services or products you offer, and will even affect design decisions for your marketing pieces. In our last article, we looked at what you should consider when targeting new customers. This article focuses on what you should keep in mind when targeting current customers.
Current customers are often pushed aside, so marketing efforts can be focused on new customers. But, current customers are actually the ones more likely to buy from you. When targeting current customers, you should introduce new products, highlight what they are already using, and ask them to spread the word.
1. Introduce New Products
A wonderful benefit of targeting current customers is they are already familiar with your company. Instead of spending time introducing your business, focus on introducing current customers to new products or services. No matter how long someone has been a customer, there’s a high chance they are unaware of everything you offer. Even if the customer doesn’t need the product or service right then, it’s good to let them know what your business offers for when the need arises.
When customers see what other products and services you have, they get curious. Often, they will ask if you have a solution to a problem they are currently facing. It’s important to remember that customers won’t know what you offer unless you tell them, and if you offer a variety of products or services, you’ll need to tell them about everything a little bit at a time.
2. Highlight What They’re Already Using
When marketing to your current customers, it’s always a good idea to let them know about any specials, deals, or updates on the products or services they are using. These marketing touch points remind people it’s time to re-order or time to purchase the latest edition.
3. Spread the Word
People ultimately buy from people, and when you get a recommendation from someone you know, you are far more likely to trust their opinion than an advertisement you received. Ask your current customers to spread the word and let them be your ambassadors. Several ways you can do this is by adding “bring-a-friend” deals (the customer benefits and so does their friend), offering incentives for a referral, or creating a social media campaign where you ask them to share products they love on social media with a special hashtag.
As exciting as it is to win new customers, you will want to focus most of your time and marketing efforts on your current customer base. This audience is much easier to grow and expand than a new customer audience. Loyalty and trust take a long time to build, so when you have that, it’s important to protect it. Continue reaching out to your customers and giving them reasons to stay.
If you would like to know more about how data analytics can you help you select your target audience, send us a message. We would love to connect with you and help create the best experience for your customers.