Thursday, September 18, 2008

Is Audience or Offer More Important?

In any marketing attack there are two big issues that can divine success, it the target audience more important or is the message paramount?

Now me, I’m an audience kind of guy. Give me a target that fits the company and its product or service line and bingo I believe we are on our way.

Others believe that the audience will self-select itself based on the offer and how enticing it is. They believe a good offer will turn a loser into a winner.

Time and time again I have seen that if you cast pearls to swine it is waited and money goes down the drain, but give me a bucket of rhinestones and give me a list of country western fans and I’ll make a killing. But if you have buckets of money to spend and don’t mind throwing mud against the wall to see how much sticks go for the message over the list and be happy with low percentage rates but lots of hits.

I would always spend more of your budget on a great list, take more time to refine the list and tailor the message to your strengths rather than your offer to the list you are able to find. If you are sure your message is reaching people who find you and your company relevant you and they will come out winners. Win-Win!

Telesales, direct mail, e-mail, texting, ads, pr, radio, TV makes no difference, if you can reach the right people it all works. If done right your audience will believe the materials were planned for them and them alone. You will engage your target because you are just what they want and need.

There are different ratios but I believe the ration that flows though my company is 75-20-5, 75% on the target audinace, 20% on the crafting of the message and offer and only 5% on the creativeness of the pieces. Sorry all you creative out there but this is not pre-mid 80’s, pre desktop when quality was quality, when graphic artists did not have to use all the latest little tools that Quark or Adobe put out in there latest revision..

If you are spending your budget and not getting the results you think you should be getting, don’t look at your creative, don’t look at your message or offer look specifically at your target audience and see if you can narrow it down tighter and more specifically.

Larson note: The world of lists, names, offers, premiums, messages, you have to find a way to cut though the clutter. Pick your tools and to, be it list or message.

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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