One of the biggest mistakes I notice when reviewing a company’s marketing strategy is the failure to differentiate their various customer types and create specific content for each target. In marketing speak, this is called “segmentation.”

Make sure your message reaches the right people.

Here’s how Wikipedia defines it:

“Market segmentation is a marketing strategy which involves dividing a broad target market into subsets of consumers, businesses, or countries that have, or are perceived to have, common needs, interests, and priorities, and then designing and implementing strategies to target them.”

Let’s break down what that definition means and how you can implement it. Doing this successfully is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall marketing impact.

Divide the Broad Market

This process is when you consider the products and services you offer and then determine the distinct and specific target audiences for each one. Some might appeal to a male, sports-oriented customer, while others might interest a female soccer mom. In some cases, the same product might appeal to several distinct groups. The important thing is to divide your entire potential audience into segments that align with particular common needs and interests.

Create Specified Content

The next step is to develop content that makes your products/services appeal to each audience segment identified. Even it’s the same product, the way market it to different groups of people will differ. Everything from the way the text is written to the images used should be catered to the particular audience you’re trying to reach. Create the content in a way that relates to that particular audience directly.

Disperse that Content

Once you’ve defined your market segments and created specific content, it’s time to place that content where each is looking. Chances are that a 22-year-old college student is consuming content from sources different from a 45-year-old professional. The goal is to take the segmented audience, create content that specifically appeals to that audience, then place that content where that audience is paying attention. It does you no good to take content that appeals to an older generation and place it where younger audiences will see it.

It’s time to begin thinking of your marketing in a hyper-targeted way instead of trying to market to the broad audience with a common message. If you follow this strategy, you’ll find your marketing efforts to be much more effective.