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5 Ways To Appeal To Your Target Audience
June 12, 2007

When designing your web site, or debating an overhaul, begin with defining who your target audience is.  This will determine whether you use a lot of techical elements (features that would appeal to teenagers or young adults) or keep things at a minimum.  Ask your customers what they like. To ensure you stay focused on your customers, think about this:

1. Prospects will have objections to what you want them to do.  Do you want them to buy now or place an order within 30 days, or do you want them to click for more information?  Make a list of objections you'll encounter for each action you want them to take and confront it beforehand--gently--and help guide them through the process.
2. Don't be afraid to overbuild your site.  Anticipate your growth and where you want your site to be in 9 months to a year and build it for that.  It's better to be ahead of the curve than already behind it.
3. Always inspect your site from your customers' perspective. Does it answer all their questions?  Do the colors make them flinch?  Can they fitgure out how to navigate and where to find the information they want?  Grab a couple of your most loyal customers and have them test it before launch and, in return for their efforts, give them a coupon or a gift.
4. Speak directly to your target audience and don't dance around what you're trying to say.  But...here is the delicate balance...keep the "cheese factor" out of it.  If you read it and it reminds you of a used car salesman, or makes you don a different voice when you say it outloud, don't include it.
5. Spend your money wisely on ads and marketing that speaks directly to your target audience.  One misconception with web sites is they can reach all people all the time.  Not true.

Your design, content and color scheme will influence your target audience's decision about returning to your site.  You may think it's a great web site, but if your customers don't think so, it's money down the drain.

Posted by Suze Bragg on June 12, 2007 | Comments (0)