Target Market

Describe your preferred buyers . To help you with this, look at your current customers (or those of your competitors , if you have a new business). Consider demographics such as sex, age, marital status, job title, and job industry, if applicable .

Also consider psychographics , which are the lifestyle behaviors and attitudes of your ideal customers. This information gives you an understanding of your prospects' potential buying decisions and patterns. Armed with this insight, you'll be better able to address any concerns or questions, and then guide shoppers through the purchase process. Psychographic questions include activities and purchases made in relation to business/education, health/fitness, and recreation/leisure.

Both sets of information are necessary in designing an effective advertising campaign. Your entire campaign would be dramatically different if you market a car to 16 ‚ 25 year-old men who play extreme sports, as opposed to 35 ‚ 45 year-old married women with children, who subscribe to parenting magazines. It's likely that you'll have multiple target markets.

The more you know about your ideal customers, the better you communicate with them and develop a relationship. Relationships are key to both initial and repeat sales.

One sample target market for Red Mountain Spa could be the following:

• Women

• 30 ‚ 55 years of age

• Subscribers of Body & Soul , Spa Finder , and Yoga International magazines

• Working professionals in a corporate environment

• Exercise 4 ‚ 5 times a week for health goals and to reduce stress

• Participate in relaxation exercise such as yoga and meditation

• Frequent patrons of day spas