Copywriting Information

Segmenting Your Target Audience Through Your Copywriting


Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is and they'll quickly tell you "Know Thy Target Audience." In order to write effectively you have to know this one group of people and know them well. I guess that's why many people get so frustrated when it seems they have more than one preferred customer base. One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, "What if I have more than one target audience?" In all actuality, you probably don't. You just have different segments of the same audience.

Segmenting your target audience is a very common practice? almost expected even. Let me explain. Perhaps you sell a nutritional supplement. Think of all the people who might use your nutritional supplement. There are adults, pregnant women, growing teenagers, children, senior citizens, athletes, and many others. While all of these may seem to be entirely different target markets, they are actually just segments of the same nutritional supplement market. These people all have a need and an interest in nutritional supplements, but for very different reasons.

While some of the information you provide to each segment will be general and apply to everyone, other information will be specific to that particular segment.

Information Specific To Each Segment

For instance, everyone will want to know the overall benefits of taking the nutritional supplement you offer. Perhaps they can expect to have more energy, lose a little weight, or prevent or cure certain diseases. Everyone cares about these benefits. But your nutritional supplement may offer other benefits that only certain customers would have a need/want for.

Pregnant women want a nutritional supplement that has high levels of folic acid and other nutrients that will aid their developing babies. Senior citizens may have a need for supplements that contain higher levels of calcium (and in a more readily absorbable form). Athletes burn a lot of nutrients and have a higher chance of getting injured so those things are important to them.

Make the information about your product or service specific to whatever the needs of each segment are. You can do this in specific ways through a variety of different advertising mediums.

Segmenting In Brochures

Create one brochure with the general information laid out within its panels. Then create a separate, single panel addressing the needs/wants of one specific segment of your market (seniors, athletes, etc.). When you mail or give out your brochures, simply slip the correct insert into the regular brochure, and you have a custom-designed marketing piece.

Segmenting On The Web

Web sites are also an excellent place to make use of segmenting. Starting with your home page, give general information that is applicable to all your site visitors. Then break out the information specific to each segment of your market. Give a brief description of the details that this segment can expect to find and a link to the page where they'll find them.

When your customers click to the various pages, they'll find specifics on how your product will benefit them and their special needs.

NOTE: When you segment on the Web, you also have a great opportunity for search engine optimization. Many excellent keyphrases come from highly specific phrases. So, instead of "nutritional supplements," you might find that "nutritional supplements for seniors" or "nutritional supplements for athletes" will give you the high rankings you want.

Segmenting In Print

Are you running newspaper ads? If so, ask about multiple placement discounts. Many papers will give you discounts for running ads in various sections of the paper at the same time. This gives you greater exposure and also allows you to segment your market through the use of the different sections.

Before you lump all your customers into one category, take a good hard look. Do they have different needs? Do you see various groups immerging from the crowd? Is there a way to segment your market? If your market is already broken into various segments, what is the best way to reach each group?

Once you determine the needs and wants of each segment of your target audience, you'll be better equipped to write copy that appeals to them. When you accomplish this through your copywriting, you'll find yourself with higher conversion ratios and more sales.

Karon Thackston © 2004

About The Author

Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.


MORE RESOURCES:
Google

Project Leader Copywriting
Oneworld, Netherlands - 16 hours ago
The department is responsible for six projects: Public Relations, Advertising, Publicity Stunt, Copywriting, Online Media and Website. ...


Freelance UK

Tweaking your way to copywriting hell
Freelance UK, UK - Jul 15, 2008
Definition of tweak: ?I read a book on copywriting over the weekend and wrote my own copy. It sucks. I desperately need your help, but I?m too cheap to pay ...


Leap to the top with new in-house web copywriting service from ...
Response Source (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
From today, Leapfrogg is offering customers the use of another great search marketing service: In-house web copywriting. Leapfrogg works to ensure your ...


Cape Peninsula University of Technology Advertising Students Use ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - Jul 17, 2008
Over 200 Advertising students are using the 19 "New" Rules of Social Media Copywriting as part of the National Diploma in Marketing, at Cape Peninsula ...


Which Computing? Magazine journalist joins Prompt Communications ...
SourceWire (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
Terrie will be based in Prompt?s Copywriting division in its London offices, working with technology-based clients and alongside consultants in the ...
Prompt Launches Analyst Relations Practice for Technology Vendors MarketWatch
all 10 news articles


openPR (press release)

Website Overseers ? A natural new trend in the Internet world
openPR (press release), Germany - 22 hours ago
When web professionals give quotations for a new website, they may include design, graphics, SEO, SEM and perhaps even copywriting. ...


The Copywriting Institute Announces New Media Marketing Package ...
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - Jul 11, 2008
The Copywriting Institute, a training and resources company for copywriters, announced the launch of their New Media Marketing Package. ...


Pakistan-Based MSCopywriters Achieves Outstanding Growth as a ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - Jul 8, 2008
Com currently provides copywriting, editing and journalism projects for clients in more than fifteen (15) countries. Available services range from feature ...


Philanthropy and Volunteer : Non Profit Fundraising: Finding Funds ...
SkyNewswire.com (press release), Netherlands - Jul 17, 2008
Hall interviewed experts in Corporate Nonprofit Partnerships, Internet Marketing, Joint Ventures, Copywriting and Fundraising, including the Vice President ...


Channel swimming journalist
Business in Berkshire (press release), UK - Jul 17, 2008
Nicola, who offers local businesses copywriting and PR services, is a journalist specialising in swimming, fitness and sport. She's written for a range of ...

Copywriting - Google News

home | site map
© 2006