Target market definition is the basis for successful business promotion. A clear picture of the customer a business wants to attract will serve to increase the effectiveness of any marketing campaign. The objective of target market definition is to divide the potential market into smaller segments allowing marketing efforts to be specifically directed to a group of specific prospects within the overall market. Demographics, psychographics, type of vehicle, and vehicle usage are all important points to consider. The objective is to arrive at a definition of the person that marketing efforts will be designed to attract. Following are keys to target market definition for auto repair:
- Define the Demographics of the Profile – There are a number of factors that come under the heading of demographics. Age, location, gender, income level, education level, marital status, occupation and ethnicity are all demographic attributes. And they all will impact the formulation of effective marketing messages and delivery. The more specific the profile the better.
- Consider the Psychographics of the Desired Customer – Personality, attitudes, values, interests, lifestyles and behavior are all considered psychographic traits. Interests and lifestyles can serve to promote a powerful marketing campaign as messages can be geared toward the areas that draw attention.
- Specify the Type of Vehicle Driven – ‘Passenger cars and light trucks’ is an example of defining the type of vehicle driven although it’s about as broad a definition possible in auto repair. Even if this is the business charter of the shop it’s always advantageous to be as specific as possible when defining a target market. Targeting the owners of a specific make of vehicle or a type such as mini-van or sports car will help to refine the marketing campaign to attract more people.
- Identify the Type of Driving Engaged In – Whether the vehicle is used for commuting to and from work, to drop the kids off at school and other activities, etc. will define the purpose of driving. The frequency and distance of travel define how the vehicle is used. These are important factors in defining the person marketing efforts will be designed to reach.
- Evaluate and Refine the Definition – Once the profile of the target market has been defined it’s important to step back and assess the definition. A profile can be too specific if the result is that the potential market is too small. It may be necessary to loosen the definition some or possibly design a marketing campaign that focuses on more than one target audience. The objective of target market definition is to arrive at a solution that will maximize the effect of marketing investment dollars.
