How do you get your knowledge of your customers / target audience?

Writing to people aged 30-40 with a small budget is not tight enough. You have to have a much more well defined audience than that.

So, let's take something I've never heard of before and not even sure if it exists.
Let's say your writing a sales letter for "do it yourself bolt on Jib Rigging for 30 to 40 foot sail boats.

You ask yourself who is this person? What level of job do they have, are they a man or woman (in this case it would most assuredly be nearly all men). What type of house do the own, cars do they drive, wife do they have? What do they talk about with their best friends, what age are they, do they typically commute, what music do they listen too? Are their kids living with them or in college or do they have grand kids? What level of minimum income do they have, what are their health concerns?

You actually go deeper than that but you get the idea.

Now, sit back and get all comfortable because your about to embark upon a mental journey.

Picture YOURSELF as them, become them, watch yourself getting up in the morning in their house, eating their food, discussing the day with their wife, driving their car to work, working at their job, coming home, paying bills, going to the gym, having a barbeque and a beverage with their friends, talking with their friends voicing their concerns, eating dinner, working in the study after dinner, going to bed and every other action they take throughout the whole day.

Become them, think like they think, understand things from their perspective. Be them see the world as they see it.

Now determine your 3 (minimum) big hooks, list out all their sailing joys, concerns and problems, research 5-10 big sailing magazines or websites learn to speak some of their words. But don't use them unless you really understand what your saying and don't over use them or you will come off sounding like a dip weed.

Now, become a psychologist and think what's going to get them so excited they can't help but throw money at you and so pissed they would like to see you dead. Use all those things we've spoke of to funnel them into the sale.

This is by no means exhaustive in it's scope but I hope it helps.

Patrick

Study the sales copy of your successful competitors. It's a great way to determine the buying emotions of your prospects.

Alex

One way is to read forums where they hang out. They are more likely
to talk freely about the problems that are bugging them than if you asked
in a direct survey.

You may also study the magazines that they typically read and see what
ads are repeated there--this would give you a good gauge about what
is working in that market.

For sure if there are any surveys or study done in this group then study
them and find out what make them tick.

-Ray Edwards