For targeted marketing communication, segmentation of audience is a primary activity.
Audience segmentation refers to utilizing demographic attributes to identify and group your potential customers. It is the categorization of a large audience into smaller groups with similar preferences, values, and needs. Segmentation projects the response of different groups to the different communication interventions.
Why is Segmentation of Audience Necessary?
Audience segmentation allows focusing those people who are most important to reaching and to help design the effective strategy to adopt new behaviors. It lets a marketing crew to prioritize product, messages, services and communication media based on the particular need and preferences of their audience.
Segmentation also helps to set up a good relationship with your potential customers as people feel more valued when messages are personally directed to them and respond positively. To engage your customers in a real manner and for the long-term, the more targeted your message should be.
Tailored Communication
The important factor involved in audience segmentation is to understand which kind of information a particular segment likes to consume and how. Using this information the target messages along with the preferred communication channel can be tailored according to the purchasing behavior of that segment.
For example, if you have segmented your audience according to their age group you would have an idea that the youngest one likely to receive information through social media while older one can receive it through a direct email.
Segmenting help you to discover potential marketing prospects by allowing you to create better products or services around the particular need of interest of you different customer’s group.
Limitations
Audience segmentation is generally carried out in an ad hoc way as it takes dedication, time and efforts to accomplish to give useful outcomes. Salespeople think it’s an easy task just to sit down and sort out customers in groups on the basis of some common characteristics.
However, it is not such an easy task. It requires a lot of knowledge and a proper systematic approach. Following the social behavior of people and hitting their likes and preferences is the actual key demand of this task.
Challenges
The segregation of people can be quite demanding, it is difficult to maintain balance. Sometimes the people you have grouped in one section can have different priorities. For example, if you divide the people on the basis of their age group, not all the older ones are unfamiliar with technology. Some would like to use the new gadget and are up to date with new generations tends.
In this case, your messages should be designed to reach a broader aspect to influence your audience. Segment your audience according to their behavior and attitude towards changes. Identify their choices for communication and their interest for your specific products or services.
Bottom line
The main objective of audience segmentation is to avoid sending unrelated information to unresponsive customers. By knowing that different people have different requirements and communication preferences you can put up an effective marketing strategy to hit the target and achieve your goal.
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