Working in lead generation marketing, I’m one of the first to see when a person registers on the MarketStar website. As I look through registrations, I’m able to do a quick visit to each company’s website to find out what they do and who they are.

And I’ve learned there are a LOT of unique companies out there. I’ve seen everything from the leader in commercial urinal and toilet cleaners to the top financing firm for online merchants.

No matter what industry they’re in, however, it’s important for companies to quickly identify their niche to their ideal clients. If they’re in the business of providing products for commercial restrooms, prospects should learn that without much effort.

For marketing campaigns to successfully provide sales with quality leads, the messaging must be aimed at the right audience – elevating the right prospects and turning off the wrong ones.

A quick search for “failed products” offers a list of companies that lost millions on products that went after the wrong market. Whether it’s New Coke or the Arch Deluxe, companies that miss their target pay the consequences.

Here are five keys to make sure your aim is true.

1. Know who they are. In order to target your campaign, you have to know your customers. Who are they? What are they after? Why do they choose you over your competitors? If you can’t answer those questions, find out. (See bullet points 3 and 4 below.) If you don’t know your audience, you’ll never effectively target them.

2. Embrace who you are. One of my favorite examples of this comes from sports. Championship teams in any sport normally are led by superstars, but often it’s the role players who make the difference. Robert Horry, a retired NBA small forward, was one of those role players, winning seven championships in 16 seasons. Horry knew he wasn’t a franchise player who was going to carry the scoring load, so he made a career out of getting open and making a big shot when the defense lost track of him. … Like Horry, businesses need to understand who they are in order to be effective marketers. If the majority of your customers come from the small and medium business space, focus your campaigns on them. If you’re a retailer serving discount-seeking consumers, make sure your highlighted products match their needs.

3. Get feedback from the frontlines. If you aren’t sure who to target, one of the best places to start is with employees who are the initial touch point for your business. Receptionists, lead-qualifying sales professionals, and even new employees can provide valuable insight into how your company is perceived externally. Pick their brains about who the ideal candidate is, who people think you are, and what they’re most interested in. This will help you determine the top selling points in your clients’ minds, allowing you to drive home effective messages.

4. Squeeze the most out of market research. The business intelligence area of your company should be able to provide you valuable insight into how to maximize your marketing budget. If your budget is limited, they should be able to help you identify the markets with the most potential. If you want to know more about consumer purchasing behavior, they’ll be able to tell you how they buy and allow you to focus your spend in those areas.

5. Don’t ask yourself if you like it. Ask yourself if your target audience will like it. Far too often people worry about their own impressions of the marketing campaign and not whether their target likes it. That’s great that you love that Beatles song, but if you’re targeting 18- to 30-year-olds, you may need to rethink your music selection. This is one of the hardest things for people to do: Remove themselves from the equation and look at it from their clients’ eyes. Just because you don’t like the campaign, doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. What matters is what your target audience thinks!

What do you think? How do you keep your marketing campaigns on target? Let me know in the box below.

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