Are you struggling to connect with your target audience? Are you struggling to know who your target audience is? Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many businesses struggle with this crucial step in their marketing strategy. In this blog post, I’ll explain the avatar a little more and share some tips on how to determine your customer avatar in the sign and graphics/wrap business.
A customer avatar represents your perfect customer. The customer that brings a best-case scenario for your business. ( If you’re already thinking what I am thinking – this is DEFINITELY not the customer that wants you to design everything for free, and then shop you out) This is the big spender, the most loyal, and will bring you the most referrals.
When you aren’t targeting anyone specifically, you are spending time, efforts and money, throwing it at the wall and hoping it sticks.
When you aren’t targeting anyone specifically, you are spending time, efforts and money, throwing it at the wall and hoping it sticks. Since most of us like to be intentional with sticking things to walls in this business, let’s look at ways to help you find that avatar!
- Define your target market
The first step in determining your customer avatar is to define your target market. Who are you trying to reach with your sign business? Things to consider: age, gender, income, location, business type. By narrowing down your target market, you can better tailor your marketing efforts to their needs and preferences.
I.E.
- Age: 30-55
- Income: $350k-$8million
- Location: North Dakota
- Business or Consumer: Commerical Only – No Business to Consumer
- Business Types: Financial, Industrial, Commercial, Hospitality
- Conduct market research
Once you’ve defined your target market, it’s time to conduct some market research. A great way to do this is by surveying your past clients, potential clients and anyone you know who may need signs or has purchased signs in the past. You want to understand your customers’ pain points, desires, and preferences. This information will help you create a customer avatar that reflects your audience.
I.E.
Customer pain points: The process takes too long. It can be confusing. Not sure where to start.
Customer desires: Quick turnaround. Simplified options.
- Create the customer avatar
This is a fictional character that represents your ideal customer. Use the information you gathered from your market research to create a detailed profile. This will help you visualize your ideal customer and create targeted marketing messages.
I.E.
- Name: Alex
- Age: 40
- Occupation: Facilities manager / Decision maker
- Buying Behavior: Likes to get options quickly, so they can make decisions.
- Understands design deposits, and appreciates our guidance.
- Values relationships.
- Social Media Preference: LinkedIn, Instagram
5. Knowing your Antivars
Something important to keep in mind is that as you determine your ideal customer, you will come to realize who is NOT your ideal customer. These are referred to as Antivars. They can be important in knowing when to say no to a job, or what specific market to avoid marketing to. You start to understand that the customers that drain your time and profits, shouldn’t be in your target market.
I.E.
- Name: Sam
- Financial: no budget for fear of getting “screwed over”
- Relationships: Doesn’t value them
- Occupation: Small Business Owner
- Age: 45-58
- Other traits: Doesn’t value our team, Disrespectful, Unrealistic expectations, Wants free designs to see if we are a fit.
Now that you understand who you your perfect customers and not so perfect customers are, I encourage you to put your list into action. If you would like to dive into this deeper, click here to set up a time.
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