When formulating your marketing strategy, an essential first step is identifying your target audience. While this may appear obvious, it is common to make the mistake of marketing or selling multiple very divergent customer segments simultaneously. For instance, take the approaches required for marketing to the government, businesses, and individual consumers. These are very different approaches indeed.
To illustrate this point, let’s discuss the marketing role of a website. Many individuals perceive websites as uniform entities with the primary goals of aesthetics, fast loading times, and attracting more customers. While this holds true from a broad perspective, it is important to examine the nuances. Different potential customers have distinct expectations and requirements from a website, necessitating a more granular approach.
Here is a simple table illustrating some of the differences in the B2G (Business-to-Government), B2B (Business-to-Business), and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) customer journeys.
B2C | B2B | B2G | |
Find You | Referrals from trusted contacts Google searches “near me” or on Google Maps Online searches on relevant topics | Referrals from trusted contacts Online searches on relevant topics | Your company has responded to an RFP Referrals from trusted contacts Governments are not randomly “Googling” for vendors |
Trust You | Google reviews, etc. | Case studies Verification from trusted 3rd parties (including Google reviews for some industries) | Official documentation proving qualifications |
Hire You | Review your offer May compare your offer to others May interview you | Review your company and track record Probably interview you Compare your offer to others | Review your bid versus the other submitted bids Review if your company fits their desired vendor portfolio (note: interview possible) |
Key Role of Website | Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step For some businesses: Be found by new customers | Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step For some businesses: Be found by new customers | Not cause the company to get disqualified from the bidding process Grow Credibility |
Example of a key tool | Google Reviews | Email marketing | White papers |
The table shared is a simplified model, yet it underscores the pivotal role of pinpointing your main customer base and strategically coordinating your marketing initiatives and resources.
At Small Business LIFT, we encourage business owners to THINK before DOING. If you believe that Small Business LIFT could be beneficial for your company, we invite you to get in touch with us. Our standard Digital Marketing Package (DMP) has shown to be highly effective for clients aiming to increase their visibility amongst new customers. Once the foundational marketing strategy and website are established, our more advanced email marketing and additional options can serve as powerful tools for expansion.