Writing a Customer Profile According to a Target Market

Christopher Carter reports:

"A customer profile is an important part of your business plan. It should indicate thorough knowledge of your target market and who your potential customers are. A well-constructed customer profile helps a company spend advertising funds in a more efficient manner. Creating a customer profile allows your company to target all marketing resources at a particular segment of the population. Your company's target market must be large enough to sustain your business. All marketing efforts must be measurable...Identify your target market. You should have a thorough understanding of why customers would want to buy your product or service. This is based on the perceived features and benefits of your product or service. Your service or product should stress benefits to the customer. Benefits are the motivation that causes consumers to buy. This will lead to you understanding common characteristics of your customers...Break down your target market. There may be a temptation to try to sell to everyone you can. This approach will lead to failure. By focusing your attention on a specific group, your marketing materials can speak directly to the core desires and emotions of your customers. In addition, you'll ensure your company's marketing dollars are being spent where they will convert the highest number of sales. In your customer profile, you may choose to segment your target market according to gender, location or behavior...Include psychographic information in your customer profile. This provides a glimpse of the beliefs, values and emotions of your target market. Psychographic variables demonstrate the factors that motivate your customers to buy your product or service...Study the buying habits of your target market. If you understand the behavior and buying patterns of members of your target market, you'll have a better chance of selling your products or services to them. Identify...the most important benefits of your product or service to your customer...Use reference tools to research your target market. Using U.S. Census, county and city data will help provide you with valuable information about customers in your target market. Age, income, marital status and education are examples of information that should be included in your customer profile."