It is important to know your target markets so you can provide for their needs. In order to benefit from an online strategy, the potential customer must benefit also. Without some benefit to the customer there is no reason for them to visit your website. The website structure has to be designed around your customers thinking processes and their online skill levels.
Who do you want to visit your site, that is, who is your target market?
** List details of your target market. Consider the details listed below. The examples listed in bracket are just thought starters; they are by no means the correct target market for your business)
** Life cycle (single, married, families, kids, parents, seniors, etc.)
** Age group such as (18-25, 26-35 and so on)
** Sex (male, female, both)
** Occupation (trades person, managerial, white collar, blue collar etc.)
** Industry (computer, financial, trades, retail etc.)
** What do they like to do?
** Where do they live?
** What do they buy?
** What are they looking for? (performance, low price, quality, reliability etc.)
** What characteristics do they have in common?
** Do current customers use the internet?
** Do they have email addresses?
** How often do they use the internet?
** How experienced are they at using the internet?
** How often do they use the internet?
** Where do they access the internet from? e.g. (home, work etc.) What devices do they use to interact with the internet? e.g. (desktop, laptop, net book, tablet, smart phone etc.)
** What type of websites does your target market visit? This has relevance for where you might want to advertise on the net.
** Other relevant information about your target markets.
Having researched all the information about your target market or markets you can then consider sorting existing customers and those segments that are of greatest impact (profit wise, growth wise and so on) in the future.
Segment the best prospects and consider additional opportunities.
Target the markets by geographic area, income, other demographics or unique characteristics.