Quality content has the power to make each reader feel like it is speaking directly to him or her. For a piece to really resonate with readers, they need to be able to trust the article and feel understood.
For example, a 59-year-old grandmother most likely won’t want to hear about how to get the most out of your first skydive. But adventurous millennials with disposable incomes may be interested in taking a risk or bringing a little more excitement into their lives. Knowing exactly who you are talking to will let you know exactly what to talk about – and how to deliver your message. But you will still miss the mark if you reach your audience and cannot convey a timely message that appeals to their priorities.
Before starting a mat release campaign, there must be clear understanding of who makes up your target audience:
- The demographics. Age, gender, location, income and lifestyle.
- What their media usage is like. Do they prefer online, print or broadcast?
- How they shop. Do they browse stores, shop online, rely on word of mouth or all three?
- Individuals or companies. Are you targeting B2B? Look at company size, location and mission.
Once you understand who you are speaking to, you can find the best way to reach them. It isn’t enough to know who you are talking to. Show your audience that you understand them and how you are relevant to their lives.
- Be relatable. Use a tone that your target audience would use when talking about their interests, the issues they need resolved, or what they need to make their lives run smoother.
- Look for piggyback partners. Find out if there is an opportunity for you to partner with another business that your clients routinely use.
- Target timely events. You should know dates and seasons that are important to your audience members. Back-to-school season is hectic for moms and exciting for children. You should know how the time of year affects your audience.
- Know where they are in the buying process. Does your audience need help solving a problem and are seeking a product, or do they want additional tips on how to best use a product?
Audiences vary greatly from product to product and a singular product may even have more than one target audience. Be sure not to utilize one mat release for multiple audiences. Your message will be muddled and neither group will feel like they can relate.
