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Targeting a demographic that is not quite me??

by mguy
8 replies
My site is nearing "minimum viable product" and now I have to look at advertising.

I have google page rank of 10 trillionth.

The avenue i'm looking at is through forum marketing and youtube. Problem is I am targeting a demographic that is not me. Bluntly, I am of a different shade. This demographic likes to take pics of themselves and post in forums or in youtube, as sort of community.

I was thinking getting a VA that I pay to interact with the forum or pay a representative demographic to make youtube videos. I really dont know. I'm kinda marketing the site as if I was a member of that demographic -- tricky tricky -- but we are in marketing after-all and not all of us have a six pack ab.

How to go about formulating my marketing strategy? :confused:
#demographic #targeting
  • Profile picture of the author Victor Edson
    If you need social interaction, hiring a VA to do it is a great idea. Plus you'll free up your time to work on other parts of your business.
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    • Profile picture of the author mguy
      Originally Posted by Victor Edson View Post

      If you need social interaction, hiring a VA to do it is a great idea. Plus you'll free up your time to work on other parts of your business.

      How should I tell her to interact? What is this social interaction dummy?
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      • Profile picture of the author tpw
        Originally Posted by mguy View Post

        What is this social interaction dummy?

        LOL

        It sure looks like you called the person who tried to answer your question a dummy. :rolleyes:

        Many of us market to people who are not completely like ourselves. As product developers, we tend to already have the knowledge that our customers want.

        If you understand your target market, then you should have no problem talking to them about things that they would be interested.

        Unfortunately, I suspect that you understand the one behavior of your target audience, without having any real understanding about how those people tick.

        I am just surprised that you are so completely clueless about the particular audience you have chosen to market your stuff, and that you are completely clueless on how to make this business model work for you.

        You should, at least, set out to become better educated about your audience BEFORE you try to market to them, therefore allowing you to understand how you are going to market to them.

        OR perhaps, you should seek a different kind of business model that you understand better than this one.
        Signature
        Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
        Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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        • Profile picture of the author mguy
          Originally Posted by tpw View Post

          LOL

          It sure looks like you called the person who tried to answer your question a dummy. :rolleyes:

          Many of us market to people who are not completely like ourselves. As product developers, we tend to already have the knowledge that our customers want.

          If you understand your target market, then you should have no problem talking to them about things that they would be interested.

          Unfortunately, I suspect that you understand the one behavior of your target audience, without having any real understanding about how those people tick.

          I am just surprised that you are so completely clueless about the particular audience you have chosen to market your stuff, and that you are completely clueless on how to make this business model work for you.

          You should, at least, set out to become better educated about your audience BEFORE you try to market to them, therefore allowing you to understand how you are going to market to them.

          OR perhaps, you should seek a different kind of business model that you understand better than this one.
          ''

          I'm not calling anyone a dummy. :p

          It is my first venture and I'm learning as I go along. So what are you suggesting -- that I learn about the audience by spending time on the forum and hanging out where they hangout? There really is no place for me in their community and I can't make the same pics or videos. In fact, I can't use the product myself.. or it would be weird.

          The positive:

          I know they use the product. And I know that a % of them are buying it online. I also have a sub-niche that I can drill into.

          But yeah.. this is tricky.
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          • Profile picture of the author tpw
            Originally Posted by mguy View Post

            It is my first venture and I'm learning as I go along. So what are you suggesting -- that I learn about the audience by spending time on the forum and hanging out where they hangout? There really is no place for me in their community and I can't make the same pics or videos. In fact, I can't use the product myself.. or it would be weird.

            You don't have to participate in their community to learn what makes them tick.

            You simply need to go where they go, and read what they say, and try to get a handle on what moves them to take action.

            Once you understand this group of people, you will be well positioned to create marketing that will appeal to them and lead them to take the actions you want them to take.
            Signature
            Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
            Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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            • Profile picture of the author mguy
              Originally Posted by tpw View Post

              You don't have to participate in their community to learn what makes them tick.

              You simply need to go where they go, and read what they say, and try to get a handle on what moves them to take action.

              Once you understand this group of people, you will be well positioned to create marketing that will appeal to them and lead them to take the actions you want them to take.
              ok ill do it.

              I still need to solve the problem of the pictures. I will have to get pictures consistently.

              I was modeling my site after a fictitious character, and now I need pictures. AH! You think I should change this? I see no way around it.
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  • Profile picture of the author arkina
    Originally Posted by mguy View Post

    My site is nearing "minimum viable product" and now I have to look at advertising.

    I have google page rank of 10 trillionth.

    The avenue i'm looking at is through forum marketing and youtube. Problem is I am targeting a demographic that is not me. Bluntly, I am of a different shade. This demographic likes to take pics of themselves and post in forums or in youtube, as sort of community.

    I was thinking getting a VA that I pay to interact with the forum or pay a representative demographic to make youtube videos. I really dont know. I'm kinda marketing the site as if I was a member of that demographic -- tricky tricky -- but we are in marketing after-all and not all of us have a six pack ab.

    How to go about formulating my marketing strategy? :confused:
    I think you have a good idea in paying someone. Either that or you can really embrace yourself and try to make the audience love you for being different. If they are workout nuts you can undergo your own exercise program and talk about that either in a serious or comical way, whatever fits your personality. I think it is hard to give you specific advice without knowing what your target audience actually is and what you are marketing. But personally, I think standing out as different can get you even more attention.
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    • Profile picture of the author mguy
      Originally Posted by arkina View Post

      I think you have a good idea in paying someone. Either that or you can really embrace yourself and try to make the audience love you for being different. If they are workout nuts you can undergo your own exercise program and talk about that either in a serious or comical way, whatever fits your personality. I think it is hard to give you specific advice without knowing what your target audience actually is and what you are marketing. But personally, I think standing out as different can get you even more attention.
      I dunno. The only reason why i would interact with them is to make money off them. The standing-out would be uber wierd, imagine a guy in a girl forum. lol
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