While it might sound obvious, an online business model needs to take into account your main audience: current customers and potential customers. It can be easy for businesses to be caught up in what they want to present without thinking of who they are presenting to, and how to reach them. Researching and reaching your target audience can be done in a variety of ways, but it comes down to some basic principles. Here are some of the keys areas to hit when you’re trying to create an online presence that caters to your most important consumers.
Target Your Sources
Knowing where your customer base is most likely to see you is the first step to online presentation. Do some market research, as it can give you a baseline for how to proceed. You may even want to look into areas that will allow you to grow your market share by targeting those that are going to potentially have need of your products or services. For example, directing traffic to your site could come in the form of ads and partnerships on other sites popular with your target audience, or through the use of a multi-faceted media campaign.
Utilize Multiple Platforms
Being mobile friendly is likely to garner you more hits than just having a standard website format. As mobile devices are so common, most website designers should automatically take this into consideration. However, focusing on mobile platforms will also give you the chance to develop a campaign that can be viewed on any type of device. Using multimedia can help to appeal to a wider audience. You want to develop something that will catch the eye, but still be relevant to your business model. Create a recognizable, informative logo or brand-name recognition so that you can gain instant support without your audience having to guess what you do.
Use Resources Wisely
Being able to fulfill orders once you’ve received them is the second part to being successful. You don’t want to get a bad name in the business because this will travel faster than a good reputation. Look into using supply chain management so that you can show yourself to be a reliable company for your customers. You can use your online presence to personalize your business by drawing attention to your use of resources, your speedy and accurate delivery, and your dependable staff and partners. All of these serve to create both an online and a community presence that will make you seem more dependable and real to customers.
Streamline Your Message
Determine the message that you want to put before your customers. Make it something simple, but one that will garner you support. For example, showcasing your eco-friendly business practices could help you develop a younger customer base. Once you’ve attracted customers to your site, make it easy to use and understand. You don’t want to lose your audience because they don’t know how to do business with you. Your online presence can also take advantage of personalized marketing through social media, which humanizes your brand while making it directly relevant to your audience.
An online presence is worth the effort to cultivate, as it can often become the main way your customers interact with your business. Use these tips to target your audience in a more reliable and effective manner.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. She recommends looking into supply chain management. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
