Are you wondering how to get your business, movie, novel, or other project seen by the right audience? The one thing that’s more important than deciding what demographic you want to target for your work is making sure that that demographic sees your work. Otherwise, your work will not be successful. There are many key factors in reaching out to your intended audience and making sure they acknowledge and have access to your work. Here is what you need to do to ensure your work is seen (and successful):
Pick Your Audience
First, decide who your audience is. Selecting your audience is the first step to completing any project, as your audience will influence how you create your work. You also can’t market to anyone if you don’t know who you want that “anyone” to be. It’s unrealistic and impractical to assume that everyone will love your work. Your work is going to appeal to different people, as everyone doesn’t have the same taste or come from the same background or hold the same values. Decide whom you want your work to appeal to.
Choose the Right Social Media Outlet
Second, figure out which social media outlets they use. In today’s day and age, social media is the new marketing empire. Millions of people are flooded with hundreds of ads each time they log onto their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram every day. Ads on social media are now also more likely to get more exposure than their TV or radio equivalents.
Hashtags are the hot new marketing strategy, and they’re very effective. But, not everyone uses the same social media accounts. If your target audience is Millennials, then Instagram and Twitter will be the better options. If your target audience is older, than Facebook will be a good choice – or you can choose to use no social media at all, since older people tend to rely on TV and radio for their information more than social media. An important part of knowing how to reach out to the right audience is knowing which media that audience is the more exposed to.
Craft a Promotion Strategy
Third, decide how long you want to run promotions. If your work is an album, novel, movie, or other creative piece, it’s best to have your promotional campaign run a few months before and a few weeks after its release to build up hype and keep people interested. If your work is a business, organization, or other service, your promotional campaigns want to run longer or be ongoing so people will constantly be reminded of your work and what it can do for them. Be persistent but don’t overdo it. Austin Kleon has some good tips on how to self-promote without spamming (which can make your work come off as annoying instead of appealing – the opposite of what you want).
Next, decide where to get your work in front of them. Where does your demographic live? Where do they shop? How do they travel? Location is key. Knowing where to promote your ad to your intended audience will make success come quicker and easier. If you have a cookbook or cooking device you want to sell to housewives, then place an ad in a magazine that specializes in cooking whose subscribers are mostly married, stay-at-home women. If you’re a local charity organization, then place your ad on the side of a local bus or on a billboard in the area you serve. Your audience won’t see your work if you don’t promote it in the right places. Know where to seek out your audience so they can seek you out.
Reach Your Target Audience
Then, make sure your work is long lasting. If your work can transcend time and stay in people’s memories, your work will always be successful instead of being a fad that only fizzles and fades after a short amount of time. Make sure your advertisements are compelling, creative, and straight to the point.
Don’t mock or patronize your audience. Use people who are like them and the language that they use to make your work more familiar and appealing to them. However, it’s important to mention that if your target audience is the younger generation, do not market your work with slang or other “trends”, as they quickly lose popularity, and this can make your work irrelevant and even a joke later on. According to The Business Journals, “marketers who can capture the attention of young customers can inspire lifelong customer loyalty” but only if it’s done right.
And, most importantly, tell your audience why you are the best choice for them. How can your business, organization, or other service improve the quality of their lives or make their day-to-day routine easier? Why is your novel or movie or video game more entertaining and interesting than another novel, movie, or video game?
Bringing It All Together
How are you better than your competitors? What can you offer that makes you a more suitable fit for your audience? These are what your audience will ask when considering your work and what will determine whether your work is successful with them or not.
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I'm the Director of Digital Services and Partner at Ballantine, a family-owned and operated direct mail & digital marketing company based in New Jersey. and started in 1966 by my great uncle!
