10 Steps on How to Find Buyers in Your Target Market

Follow these steps and answer these questions if you are targeting a consumer market (selling to people, not medium or large businesses) and want to save time and money reaching BUYERS – people who want to buy your product or service.

Step One: Identify your ideal customer

Create a fictitious identity of the ideal buyer in your target market. Let’s call that a persona. Answer these questions:

What gender is the person?
How old is s/he?
What is his/her income level?
What is his/her education level?
Where is s/he located?
What is his/her marital status?
How many people in his/her family?
What type of job does s/he have?
Is s/he social or introverted?

Give this person a name and paint a picture of this person in your head.

This person is likely with, and doing the same things, as other people just like him/her in your target market.

Step Two: Identify his/her problems that you can solve

What things make them worry?
What do they desire?
What frustrates them?
Does his/her problem boil down to time, money, fear or envy?

Step Three: Identify his/her habits

Is s/he online?
Does s/he shop online?
Does s/he use social media?
Does s/he read magazines and newspapers?
What clubs or organizations does s/he belong?
What charities does s/he support?

Step Four: Identify where s/he goes to get information

What are his/her magazines subscription?
What newspapers does s/he read?
What are his/her favorite books or authors?
Does s/he read blogs? Which ones?
Does s/he listen to podcasts? Which ones?
Which Facebook groups does s/he follow?
What LinkedIn groups does s/he follow?
What Twitter hashtags does s/he follow?
Does s/he follow online discussion forums?
Does s/he use Google, Yahoo, Bing, or use YouTube to search for information?
What words does s/he use to search for the problem or desire?

Step Five: Identify who influences him/her

Does she ask advice or the opinion of someone in particular?
Does she read information or follow particular experts, gurus or thought leaders?
Is there a celebrity that interests him/her?
Who are the influencers or leaders in his/her social group?
Is there an industry, business, or career association that influences his/her decisions?

If we focus on him/her, we will find more buyers, just like this ideal buyer.

Step Six: Be where s/he is

Contribute to the same social media groups and forums s/he is following
Join and speak at the same clubs and associations where s/he belongs
Attend the functions s/he attends and bring your business cards, a pen and paper
Build a relationship with the person who influences him/her
Ask to write a blog article for the blogger who s/he follows (guest blog)
Target your online ads to pages s/he likes and follows on Facebook
Target your Google ads to use the search words s/he is using
Create information that uses the search words they would use when searching for information. Post this information on your website or blog and share this information on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Step Seven: Collect his/her contact information and permission to contact them in future

Collect business cards, or write down contact information of potential prospects you meet
Create a form to deliver information via email and make sure you obtain his/her permission. Know and follow the CASL and CAN-SPAM email marketing guidelines. Use a tool to automate the procedure (search for free email marketing apps/tools, or your website host might offer that capability).

Step Eight: Offer something of value for free (or an exclusive deeply discounted offer)

Offer free useful advice that is cheap for you and of value to him/her
Free Samples
Offering a deep discount as a trial buy and make the offer exclusive to your persona or your personas’ contacts

Step Nine: Have a compelling offer

Highlight the benefits of how your product or service will solve the persons’ problem or satisfy the desire (not just the features of your product or service)
Ask for the sale by giving them a couple of easy options

Step Ten: Ask for referrals

Once s/he has bought from you, ask for testimonials
If they loved your product or service, ask for him/her to refer you to others

About Bonnie

Bonnie O'Toole is a Business Consultant and Trainer who believes in the pursuit of prosperity and can help you turn your ideas into opportunities. Learn more at how she can help you at www.marketpursuits.com