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{{short description|Group of people toward which an organization has decided to aim its marketing efforts}}
{{for|the retail stores|Target Corporation}}
{{Marketing}} {{Marketing}}
A '''target market''', also known as '''serviceable obtainable market''' ('''SOM'''), is a group of customers within a ]'s ] at which a business aims its ] efforts and resources. A target market is a subset of the total market for a product or service.
] showing the relationship among Target Market, ] (SAM), and ] (TAM)]]


The target market typically consists of consumers who exhibit similar characteristics (such as age, location, income or lifestyle) and are considered most likely to buy a business's market offerings or are likely to be the most profitable segments for the business to service by OCHOM
A '''target market''' is a group of customers a ] has decided to aim its ] efforts and ultimately its ] towards.<ref>Kurtz, Dave. (2010). ''Contemporary Marketing Mason'', OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.</ref> A well-defined target market the first element of a ]. ], ], ], and ] are the four elements of a ] strategy that determine the success of a product or service in the ]. It is proven that businesses must have a clear definition of their target market as this can help reach its target consumers and analyze what their needs and suitability are.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.entrepreneur.com/answer/222022|title = Why is it important to define a target market for your business?|last = Kaleikini|first = Michael|website = Entrepreneur|access-date = 2016-03-31}}</ref>


Once the target market(s) have been identified, the business will normally tailor the marketing mix (4 Ps) with the needs and expectations of the target in mind. This may involve carrying out additional ] in order to gain deep insights into the typical consumer's motivations, purchasing habits and media usage patterns.
A target market is a group of people considered likely to buy a product or service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/content/entry/ultimatebusiness/target_audience|title=Target Audience (Definition) in Business|last=Credo|first=|date=2011|website=Credo|publisher=Credoo|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> A target market consists of customers that share similar characteristics, such as age, income and lifestyle, to which a business directs its marketing efforts and sells its products.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Business Studies in Action|last=Chapman, Devenish, Dhall, Norris|first=|publisher=John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd|year=2011|isbn=|location=Milton, QLD Australia|pages=190–196}}</ref> As marketing efforts are becoming increasingly online based, the need to find the right audience for marketing campaigns is essential.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Hitting Your Target|last=Dowhan|first=David|publisher=Marketing Insights|year=2013|isbn=|location=|pages=5}}</ref> One of the first steps in developing an effective marketing campaign is determining an appropriate target market so that marketing goals can be set and implemented.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://networkservices.aut.ac.nz/ezproxy.cgi?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ultimatebusiness/profiling_your_target_market/0|title=Profiling your target market. in Business: The ultimate resource|last=Credo|first=|date=2011|website=Credo|publisher=Credo|access-date=25 March 2016}}</ref>


The choice of a suitable target market is one of the final steps in the ] process. The choice of a target market relies heavily on the marketer's judgement, after carrying out basic research to identify those segments with the greatest potential for the business.
Target markets can be separated into primary and secondary target markets. Primary target markets are those market segments to which marketing efforts are primarily directed and secondary markets are smaller or less important.<ref name=":0" /> For instance, the primary target market for a jewellery store might be middle aged women who care about fashion, and their secondary target market could be middle aged men who may want to buy gifts for the women in their lives.


Occasionally a business may select more than one segment as the focus of its activities, in which case, it would normally identify a ''primary target'' and a ''secondary target''. Primary target markets are those market segments to which marketing efforts are primarily directed and where more of the business's resources are allocated, while secondary markets are often smaller segments or less vital to a product's success.
It is important for a business to identify and select a target market so it can direct its marketing efforts to that group of customers and better satisfy their needs and wants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=0704cacd-9e5b-41e6-b635-3f0abc5be9a3%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4108&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=99646565&db=bth|title=Three Keys to Identifying Your Target Audience in Promotional Marketing|last=Sherlock|first=Tracie|date=25 November 2014|website=3 KEYS TO IDENTIFYING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE|publisher=Database: Business Source Complete|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> This enables the business to use its marketing resources more efficiently, resulting in more cost and time efficient marketing efforts. It allows for better understanding of customers and therefore enables the creation of promotional materials that are more relevant to customer needs. Also, targeting makes it possible to collect more precise data about customer needs and behaviors and then analyze that information over time in order to refine market strategies effectively.<ref name=":0" />


Selecting the "right" target market is a complex and difficult decision. However, a number of heuristics have been developed to assist with making this decision.
==Target markets==
Target markets or also known as target consumers are certain clusters of consumers with similar or the same needs that most businesses target their marketing efforts in order to sell their products and services. M] including the following:
* ] - Addresses, Location, Climate, Region
* ]/] segmentation - Gender, age, wage, career, education.
* ] - Attitudes, values, religion, and lifestyles)
* ]al segmentation - (occasions, degree of loyalty)
* Product-related segmentation - (relationship to a product)<ref>Cohen A. Wiliam. (2005) ''The Marketing Plan''. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.</ref>


==Definition==
== Market Segmentation ==
Market segmentation divides the market into four main sub categories – demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. After doing market segmentation the subdivision market will be much more specific and it is relatively easy to understand consumer demand, enterprises can determine their own service objects according to their business ideology, principles and production technology and marketing power. To aim at the small target market, which is easy to formulate the special marketing strategy. At the same time, in the segments of the market, the information is easy to understand and feedback, once the consumer demand changes, enterprises can rapidly change marketing strategy formulated corresponding countermeasures, in order to adapt to the change of market demand, improve the flexibility and competitiveness of enterprises. Through market segmentation, the enterprise will be able to notice every subdivision market purchasing potential, satisfying degree, competition and comparative analysis, to better meet market needs. Meanwhile, the manpower, material resources and funds of any enterprise are limited. Through market segments, after select the suitable target market, enterprises can focus more on human, financial, and material resources, to fight for the advantages of local market, and then to occupy their own target market. Segmenting the market allows marketers to better understand the group they are aiming their message at, which is more efficient than aiming at a broad group of people. Segmentation has been an essential part of marketing since industrial development induced mass production, particularly in manufacturing. This caused the focus to shift from customer satisfaction to reduction of production costs. However, as manufacturing processes became more variable, and consumer demand diversified, businesses needed to respond by segmenting the market. Businesses who were able to identify specific consumer needs were able to develop the right message for consumers within particular segments, which gave them a competitive advantage (Wedel & Kamakura, 2012).<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-1-4615-4651-1|title=Market Segmentation - Springer|last=Wedel|first=Michel|last2=Kamakura|first2=Wagner A.|doi=10.1007/978-1-4615-4651-1}}</ref> Since being introduced by Wendell R. Smith in 1956, the theory has become a key concept in marketing. Smith stated: “market segmentation involves viewing a heterogeneous market as a number of smaller homogeneous markets, in response to differing preferences, attributable to the desires of consumers for more precise satisfaction of their varying wants.” (Wedel & Kamakura, 2012).<ref name=":4" /> Not establishing a target market will often result in a poor response from consumers, or no response at all. The aim of market segmentation for businesses is to gain a competitive advantage by having a better understanding of a specific segment than its competitors. Hunt and Arnett (2004)<ref name=":5">Hunt, S. D., & Arnett, D. B. (2004). Market segmentation strategy, competitive advantage, and public policy: Grounding segmentation strategy in resource-advantage theory. ''Australasian Marketing Journal, 12''(1), 7-25. Retrieved from <nowiki>http://ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/199330650?accountid=8440</nowiki></ref> use the example of Black and Decker power tools, and the way the company segmented the market into three main groups. After identifying each different group, Black and Decker then designed one separate power tool range for each segment, based on their characteristics. “To target each segment, B&D uses specific products lines with different brand names” (Hunt & Arnett, 2004)<ref name=":5" />.


A target market is a group of customers (individuals, households or organisations), for which an organisation designs, implements and maintains a marketing mix suitable for the needs and preferences of that group.<ref>Pride, W.M., Hughes, R.J., Kapoor, J.R., ''Foundations of Business'', Cengage Learning, 2012, p. 311; Williams, C., McWilliams, A. and Lawrence. R., ''MKTG'', 3rd Asia Pacific edition, Cengage Australia, 2017, p.90</ref>
Demographic segmentation refers to aspects of a market such as age, gender, race, occupation and education. Creating a message aimed at a particular demographic allows the sender to reach a wide range of receivers, while still staying within the confines of a specific segment. “Demographic segmentation almost always plays some role in a segmentation strategy” (Thomas, 1980)<ref name=":6">Thomas, J. W. (1980). Market segmentation. ''Quarterly Review of Marketing'',''6''(1), 25-28.</ref>, and is often paired with other segments to create a slightly more specific segment. A luxury good or service may be marketed to high income earners if the marketer believes that it would be relevant across a large enough portion of the segment to make it profitable for the sender, or create the awareness intended. Certain brands only target working professionals whereas others might only target people who are at high school.


Target marketing goes against the grain of mass marketing. It involves identifying and selecting specific segments for special attention.<ref>Verma, H.G., ''Services Marketing:Text and Cases'', Delhi, Pearson, 1008, p. 219</ref> Targeting, or the selection of a target market, is just one of the many decisions made by marketers and business analysts during the segmentation process.
Geographic segmentation divides the market by location. This could be divided into countries, cities, towns and neighborhoods etc. Different geographic locations usually have different aspects to their environment, which allows marketers to appeal to the specific needs of each location. For example, marketers could target tractors specifically towards rural areas where there are likely to be a number of farmers who operate tractors. In contrast, it would not make sense to market those same tractors in an urban area where people are not likely to find them as useful (Thomas, 1980)<ref name=":6" />.


Examples of target markets used in practice include:<ref>Pride, W.M., Hughes, R.J., Kapoor, J.R., ''Foundations of Business'', Cengage Learning, 2012, p. 311</ref>
Psychographic segmentation relates to dividing an audience based on how they live their everyday lives. This could encompass their values, as well as their personality, attitudes and general interests (A. S. Boote, 1984)<ref name=":7">Boote, A. S. (1984). INTERACTIONS IN PSYCHOGRAPHICS SEGMENTATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVERTISING.''Journal Of Advertising, 13''(2), 43-48   </ref>. According to Boote (1984)<ref name=":7" />, a popular psychographic segment in marketing is personal values. In the example used, a segment categorised by how much money a consumer is willing to spend on a product could be defined by certain inclinations when shopping. One being – “spending no more money than is necessary…even if it means not buying the best.” Another orientation being – “shopping around to get the best price once I have decided on the kind of product I want to buy.” By learning about these orientations, the marketer is able to gauge different attitudes of the consumers potentially being targeted.


* Rolls-Royce (motor vehicles): wealthy individuals who are looking for the ultimate in prestige and luxury.
Behavioural segmentation subdivides the market depending on how consumers behave towards a product. Consumers behave differently depending on occasions and the frequency of usage of a product. For example, a spouse may not usually spend money on flowers for their significant other, but might on Valentines Day, as it is a special occasion. “Many Marketers believe that behaviour variables are the best starting points for building market segments” (Tatum, 2007)<ref>Krause, Tatum. "Target Marketing." Encyclopedia of Business and Finance, 2nd ed.. 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2016 from Encyclopedia.com: <nowiki>http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-1552100302.html</nowiki></ref>.


Market segmentation involves subdividing the total market into groups of people who share common characteristics, to which the business can direct specific marketing efforts. Segmenting markets aims to increase sales, market share and profits by better responding to the desires of the different target customer groups. A segmentation variable is a characteristic of individuals or groups used by marketers to divide a total market into segments.<ref name=":0" /> Markets can generally be segmented according to four main variables: demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics.


* Dooney and Bourke handbags: teenage girls and young women under 35 years
One key to identifying the best target audience is assessing brand loyalty involving attitudes and behaviors toward the brand.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=aaed2724-a004-43a3-899b-e779f4a232b0%40sessionmgr112&hid=108&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=7458097&db=bth|title=Target Audience Considerations, in Strategic Advertising Management 2001|last=Percy, Rossiter, Elliott|first=|date=2001|website=Target Audience Considerations|publisher=Strategic Advertising Management|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> Buyer groups can be divided into the following: those loyal to the brand, those who buy your brand but also buy from competing brands, those who buy more than one competing brand, those who are regularly loyal to another brand, and new users who are entering for the first time or re-entering.<ref name=":1" /> Loyalty, which concerns consumer attitudes in terms of interest in competitive alternatives, overall satisfaction, involvement, and intensity, has become increasingly important in competitive markets.


==Background==
=== '''Demographic''' ===
]
Demographic segmentation is the process of dividing the total market according to particular characteristics such as age, gender, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, and nationality. Age and gender are two of the most commonly used demographic variables used to segment markets.<ref name=":0" /> Demographics are useful and widely used but should be coupled with other segmentation variables to effectively define a target market.<ref name=":1" />
Selection of a target market (or target markets) is part of the overall process known as '''S-T-P''' (]→'''T'''argeting→]). Before a business can develop a positioning strategy, it must first segment the market and identify the target (or targets) for the positioning strategy. This allows the business to tailor its marketing activities with the needs, wants, aspirations and expectations of target customers in mind.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chiefmarketer.com/3-keys-identifying-target-audience/|last=Sherlock|first=Tracie|date=25 November 2014|title=3 Keys to Identifying Your Target Audience |publisher=Database: Business Source Complete|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> This enables the business to use its marketing resources more efficiently, resulting in more cost and time efficient marketing efforts. It allows for a richer understanding of customers and therefore enables the creation of marketing strategies and tactics, such as product design, pricing and promotion, that will connect with customers' hearts and minds. Also, targeting makes it possible to collect more precise data about customer needs and behaviors and then analyze that information over time in order to refine market strategies effectively.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Business Studies in Action|last=Chapman, Devenish, Dhall, Norris|publisher=John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd|year=2011|location=Milton, QLD Australia|pages=190–196}}</ref>


The first step in the S-T-P process is market segmentation. In this phase of the planning process, the business identifies the market potential or the total available market (TAM). This is the total number of existing customers plus potential customers, and may also include important influencers. For example, the potential market or TAM for feminine sanitary products might be defined as all women aged 14–50 years. Given that this is a very broad market in terms of both its demographic composition and its needs, this market can be segmented to ascertain whether internal groups with different product needs can be identified. In other words, the market is looking for market-based opportunities that are a good match its current product offerings or whether new product/service offerings need to be devised for specific segments within the overall market.
Gender: Due to the physiological differences, male and female have very different product demand and preferences, for example, in clothing, hair, and other necessities of life.
] showing the relationship among Target Market, ] (SAM), and ] (TAM)]]


==Market segmentation==
Age: Consumers of different ages have different demand characteristics, for example young people need to dress and the elderly needs are different, young people need bright, fashionable clothing, the elderly need dignified and simple but elegant dress.
{{Main|Market segmentation}}


Markets generally fall into two broad types, namely '''''consumer markets''''' and '''''business markets'''''. A consumer market consists of individuals or households who purchase goods for private consumption and do not intend to resell those goods for a profit. A business market consists of individuals or organisations who purchase goods for one of three main purposes; (a) for resale; (b) for use in producing other goods or services and; (c) for general use in daily business operations.<ref>Pride, W. M. and Ferrell, O.C., ''Marketing'', Mason, OH, Cengage, 2010, p. 160</ref> Approaches to segmentation will vary depending on whether the total available market (TAM) is a consumer market or a business market.
Income: Lower income and higher income consumers will be quite different in product selection, leisure time arrangement, social communication and communication and so on.


Market segmentation is the process of dividing a total available market, using one of a number of key bases for segmenting such as demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioural or needs-based segments. For example, a demographic segmentation of the adult male population might yield the segments, Men 18-24; Men 25-39, Men 40-59 and Men 60+. Whereas a psychographic segmentation might yield segments such as Young Singles, Traditional Families, Socially Awares and Conservatives. Identifying consumer demand and opportunity within these segments should assist the marketer to identify the most profitable segments.
occupation and education: Consumers of different occupation, different education will lead to different desired product. For example, farmers prefer to buy load-carrying bicycles while students, teachers love light, beautiful style bike.
Although there are many different ways to segment a market, the most common bases used in practice are:<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title=Market Segmentation - Springer|volume = 8|last1=Wedel|first1=Michel|author1-link= Michel Wedel |last2=Kamakura|first2=Wagner A.|doi=10.1007/978-1-4615-4651-1|series = International Series in Quantitative Marketing|year = 2000|isbn = 978-1-4613-7104-5}}</ref>
* ] – Residential address, location, climate, region.
* ]/] segmentation – Gender, age, income, occupation, socio-economic status, educational-level, family status, marital status, ethnic group, religious affiliation.
* ] – Attitudes, values, beliefs, interests and lifestyles.
* ]al – usage occasion, degree of loyalty, user status, purchase-readiness<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=aaed2724-a004-43a3-899b-e779f4a232b0%40sessionmgr112&hid=108&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=7458097&db=bth|title=Target Audience Considerations, in Strategic Advertising Management 2001|last=Percy, Rossiter, Elliott|date=2001|website=Target Audience Considerations|publisher=Strategic Advertising Management|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref>
* Needs-based segmentation – relationship between the customer's needs for specific features and product or service benefits<ref>Cohen, A. W, ''The Marketing Plan''. John Wiley & Sons, 2005</ref>


During the market segmentation process, the marketing analyst will have developed detailed profiles for each segment formed. This profile typically describes the similarities between consumers within each segment and the differences between consumers across each of the segments. The primary use of the segment profile is to assess the extent to which a firm's offerings meet the needs of different segments. A profile will include all such information as is relevant for the product or service and may include basic demographic descriptors, purchasing habits, disposition to spend, benefits-sought, brand preferences, loyalty behavior, usage frequency and any other information deemed relevant to the subject at hand.<ref name="Pride, W. M 2010, p. 174">Pride, W. M. and Ferrell, O.C., ''Marketing'', Mason, OH, Cengage, 2010, p. 174</ref>
Family life cycle: A family, according to different condition of age, marriage and children, can be divided into single, new married, full nest, empty nest and lonely those five stages. In different stages, family purchasing power, family members of the interest of goods and preferences will be a great difference.


The segment profile assists in the decision-making process and has a number of specific benefits:<ref name="Pride, W. M 2010, p. 174"/>
=== '''Geographic''' ===
* assists to determine those segments that are most attractive to the business
Geographic segmentation is the process of dividing the total market according to geographic location, for instance region (urban, suburban, rural, city size), climate and land type. Businesses may do this because different regions may present different needs and provide different commercial opportunities. For instance, an ice cream shop would be more likely to start up in a hot location than a cold climate.<ref name=":0" /> Identifying regional preferences and attitudes can help campaigns to be better targeted for particular geographic areas.<ref name=":1" />
* provides quantitative data about segments for a more objective assessment of segment attractiveness
* assists in tailoring the product or service offering to the needs of various segments
* provides basic information to assist with targeting
* allocating the firm's resources effectively


After profiling all the market segments formed during the segmentation process, detailed ] is carried out to identify one or more segments that are worthy of further investigation. Additional research may be undertaken at this juncture to ascertain which segments require detailed analysis with the potential to become target segments.
=== '''Psychographic''' ===
Psychographic segmentation is based on personality characteristics, mainly includes the consumer's personality, the life style, the social class, the motive, the value orientation.   Businesses can do this by researching consumer’s preferences, likes and dislikes, habits, interests, hobbies, values and socioeconomic group. These variables are concerned with why people behave the way they do and are often used effectively in conjunction with other segmentation variables.<ref name=":0" /> Psychographics also relates to attitudes toward certain activities like fitness, willingness to take risks, concern for the environment, political opinions, concern with fashion, and innovativeness.<ref name=":1" /> Values and culture are strongly linked to how people think and behave and are important aspects of segmentation variables, especially in global campaigns. Personality traits such as self-esteem, intelligence, and introversion/extroversion also affect the processing and persuasiveness of communication.


== Selecting the target market ==
Lifestyle: Lifestyle is a particular habit of individuals or groups in the consumption, work and entertainment. Different lifestyles tend to produce different consumer demand and purchase behavior, even on the same kind of goods, there will be different needs in the quality, appearance, style, and specifications. Today, many consumers does not only buy goods to meet the material needs, it is more important to show the performance of their lifestyle, to meet the psychological needs, such as identity, status, and the pursuit of fashion.


A key consideration in selecting the target markets is whether customer needs are sufficiently different to warrant segmentation and targeting. In the event that customer needs across the entire market are relatively similar, then the business may decide to use an ''undifferentiated approach''. On the other hand, when customer needs are different across segments, then a ''differentiated'' (i.e. targeted) approach is warranted. In certain circumstances, the segmentation analysis may reveal that none of the segments offer genuine opportunities and the firm may decide not to enter the market.<ref>Pride, W. M. and Ferrell, O.C., ''Marketing'', Mason, OH, Cengage, 2010, p. 176</ref>
Social class: Due to the different social class have a different social environment, different backgrounds, and different characteristics of different consumer preferences, demand for goods or services are quite different. Philip Kotler divided American society into six classes.


When a marketer enters more than one market, the segments are often labeled the ''primary target market'' and the ''secondary target market.'' The primary market is the target market selected as the main focus of marketing activities and most of the firm's resources are allocated to the primary target. The secondary target market is likely to be a segment that is not as large as the primary market, but may have growth potential. Alternatively, the secondary target group might consist of a small number of purchasers that account for a relatively high proportion of sales volume perhaps due to purchase value, purchase frequency or loyalty.<ref>Applbaum, K., The Marketing Era: From Professional Practice to Global Provisioning, Routledge, 2004, p. 33-35</ref>
Upper uppers: Inheritance property, family background has famous celebrities.


In terms of evaluating markets, three core considerations are essential:<ref>Marketing Insider, "Evaluating Market Segments", Online: http://targetmarketsegmentation.com/target-market/secondary-target-markets/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023145354/http://targetmarketsegmentation.com/target-market/secondary-target-markets/ |date=2016-10-23 }}</ref>
Lower uppers: The extraordinary vitality in the occupation or business and get higher income or wealth.


* Segment size and growth
Upper middles: They are extremely concerned about their careers,they are doing special occupations, independent entrepreneurs and managers.
* Segment structural attractiveness
* Compatibility with company objectives and resources.


However, these considerations are somewhat subjective and call for high levels of managerial judgement. Accordingly, analysts have turned to more objective measures of segment attractiveness. Historically a number of different approaches have been used to select target markets. These include:<ref>Perdue, R., "Target Market Selection and Marketing Strategy: The Colorado Downill Ski Industry", ''Journal of Travel Research'', Spring, 1996, pp 39-46</ref>
Lower middles: Middle-income white-collar and blue collar workers.


: '''Distance Criterion''': Under this approach, the business attempts to define the primary geographic catchment area for the business by identifying people who live within a predetermined distance of the business. For a retailer or service-provider the distance might be around 5 km; for domestic tourist destination, the distance might be 300km. This method is used extensively in retailing.
Upper lowers: Low wages, life is just at the poverty line, the pursuit of wealth but no skills.


: '''Sales Criterion''': Using this method, the business allocates its resources to target markets based on historical sales patterns. This method is especially useful when used in conjunction with sales conversion rates. This method is used in retail. A disadvantage of the method is that it assumes past sales will remain constant and fails to account for incremental market potential.
Lower lowers: The poor, often rely on long-term unemployment, or public charity relief to the people. People in different social classes, the demand for cars, clothing, furniture, entertainment, reading, there is a big difference.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Building Strong Congregations: Attracting, Serving, and Developing Your Membership|last=|first=|publisher=Autumn House Publishing|year=2010|isbn=|location=|pages=}}</ref>


: '''Interest Survey Methods''': This method is used to identify new business potential. Primary research, typically in the form of surveys, identifies people who have not purchased a product or service, but have positive attitudes and exhibit some interest in making a purchase in the short-term. Although this method overcomes some of the disadvantages of other methods, it is expensive even when syndicated research is used.
Personality: Personality refers to the individual's unique psychological characteristics, this psychological characteristics of individuals and their environment to maintain a relatively consistent and lasting response. Everyone has a unique personality affecting their buying behavior. To distinguish between different personality, there is a strong correlation between the premise and specific personality with the product or brand choice, so personality can become the market segments of the psychological variables.


: '''Chain ratio and indexing methods''': This method is used in marketing of branded goods and retail. It involves ranking alternative market segments based on current indices. Widely used indices are the ] and ]. The Category Index measures overall patterns within the product category while the Brand Index calculates a given brand's performance within the category. By dividing the Category Index by the Brand Index, a measure of market potential can be obtained.
=== '''Behavioural''' ===
Behavioral segmentation relates to customers’ knowledge, attitude, use of product and the purchase occasion, such as special one-off or regular loyal buying. Identifying what customers want from products and the benefits they seek are important to behavioural segmentation to allow marketers to better design and select products that satisfy these needs <ref name=":0" />'''.''' Many marketers believe that behavioral variables are the best starting point for market segmentation.


===International segmentation and targeting===
Opportunity: It is the time consumers buy and use the product. these opportunities include marriage, divorce, purchase, moving, demolition, admission, study, retirement, travel, tourism, holidays,and so on. It will help improve brand usage and marketing targeted. Such as travel agencies can provide specialized travel services at Christmas, stationery enterprises can begin to provide more learning supplies before new semester. 


Segmentation and targeting for international markets is a critical success factor in international expansion. Yet, the diversity of foreign markets in terms of their market attractiveness and risk profile, complicates the process of selecting which markets to enter and which consumers to target. Targeting decisions in international markets have an additional layer of complexity.
Benefit: Benefit segmentation is a kind of classification method based on the different interests of consumers from the brand products.Using the benefit segmentation method, what must be determined is the benefit people are seeking for, who are seeking these benefits, how important to them these benefits are, what brand can offer these benefits, what benefits have not been met.


An established stream of literature focussing on ''International Market Segmentation'' (IMS) suggests that international segmentation and targeting decisions employ a two-stage process:<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Gaston-Breton | first1 = Charlotte | last2 = Martín Martín | first2 = Oscar | year = 2011| title = International market selection and segmentation: a two-stage model | journal = International Marketing Review | volume = 28 | issue = 3| pages = 267–290 | doi = 10.1108/02651331111132857 }}</ref>
User status: According to the state of use, consumers can be classified into once users, nonusers, potential users, the primary user, occasionally users and often user type, for different type of consumers the brand should use different marketing strategies and methods. The brand who has a high market share can focus more on the potential users to change them to the actual users, such as leading brands; some small businesses can only be used as a often user services.


: 1. Macro-segmentation (assess countries for market attractiveness, i.e. market size, market potential)
Brand loyalty: Consumer loyalty is the most valuable wealth of enterprises. Consumers can be divided into four types according to their brand loyalty: True Friends, Butterflies, Barnacles and Strangers.
: 2. Micro-segmentation (i.e. consumer-level based on personal values and social values)
Analysis carried out in the first stage focuses involves the collection of comparative information about different countries with a view to identifying the most valuable markets to enter. This is facilitated by the relatively wide data availability for macro-variables. Most government departments collect business census data as well as data for a broad range of economic and social indicators that can be used to gauge the attractiveness of various destinations.


==Positioning==
True Friends: They are the highest level of the four types and the most important part of the customer group. For example, a fan of a Swiss knife, they will keep telling their friends and neighbors the benefits of this knife, their frequency of use. These loyal customers will be free of charge to the brand, and continue to recommend to others. For any business, this is the most popular type of customer.


{{Main|Positioning (marketing)}}
Butterflies: Butterflies are not particularly loyal, but have spent money on your products and brought in good revenue. An example of a butterfly would be someone that supports Microsoft in general, but buys the iPhone since it happened to be the best available phone on the market.
Positioning is the final step in the S-T-P planning approach (Segmentation→ Targeting → Positioning).<ref>Strydom, J., ''Introduction to Marketing'', Juta and Company, 2005, p. 77</ref> Positioning refers to decisions about how to present the offer in a way that resonates with the target market. During the research and analysis carried out during the segmentation and targeting process, the marketer will have gained insights into what motivates consumers to purchase a product or brand. These insights can be used to inform the development of the positioning strategy.


Firms typically develop a detailed positioning statement which includes the target market definition, the market need, the product name and category, the key benefit delivered and the basis of the product's differentiation from any competing alternatives. The communications strategy is the primary means by which businesses communicate their positioning statement to ]s.<ref>Rossiter, J. and Percy, L., ''Advertising Communications and Promotion Management,'' N.Y., McGraw-Hill, 1997, p. 159</ref>
Barnacles: Here is where some companies, especially B2B companies, find a surprising amount of their customer base falls into. Barnacles are loyal customers, but they are loyal customers that rarely make a purchase, and may not bring in much of a profit. A great example would be a customer that buys one cup of coffee at your coffee shop, and then comes in every day for the next month to use your free WiFi without making a purchase.


== Marketing mix (4 Ps) ==
Strangers: Due to different reasons, some customers are not loyal to certain brands. Generally speaking, enterprises should avoid targeting strangers, because they will never become a sincere customer, they have little contribution to the development of enterprises.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.surveymethods.com/the-4-types-of-loyal-customers/|title=The 4 Types of “Loyal Customers”|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>
{{Main|Marketing mix}}
Once the segmentation has been carried out, target markets selected and the positioning strategy developed, the marketer can begin to shape the ''marketing mix'' (or ''marketing program'') around the needs, wants and motivations of the target audience.<ref>Kotler, P., ''Marketing Management'' (Millennium Edition), Custom Edition for University of Phoenix, Prentice Hall, 2000, p. 9</ref> The traditional marketing mix refers to four broad levels of marketing decision, namely: ''product'', ''price'', ''promotion'', and ''place''.<ref>{{cite book|last=McCarthy|first=Jerome E.|title=Basic Marketing. A Managerial Approach|year=1964|publisher=Irwin|location=Homewood, IL}}</ref> When implemented successfully, these activities should deliver a firm's products or services to target consumers in a cost efficient manner. The four core marketing activities include: product, price, place and promotion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/marketing-mix-638.html|title=What Is Marketing Mix?|website=smallbusiness.chron.com|access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref>
The marketing mix is the combination of all of the factors at the command of a marketing manager to satisfy the target market.<ref name="Overview">{{cite book | url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-2830600254.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828102629/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-2830600254.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 28, 2017 | work=Overview: Marketing Mix: Product, Price, Place, Promotion |date=January 1, 2008 | title=Everyday Finance: Economics, Personal Money Management, and Entrepreneurship | publisher=Everyday Finance: Economics, Personal Money Management, and Entrepreneurship }}</ref> The elements of the marketing mix are: ''Product'' – the item or service that is being offered, through its features and consumer benefits and how it is positioned within the marketplace whether it be a high or low quality product. ''Price'', is a reference to the sacrifices made by a consumer to acquire a product and may include both monetary and psychological costs such as the combination of the ticket price, payment methods and other associated acquisition costs. ''Place'' refers to the way that a product physically reaches the consumer – where the service or item is sold; it also includes the distribution channels in which the company uses to get products or services to market. Finally, ''Promotion'' refers to marketing communications used to convey the offer to consumers and may include; personal selling, advertising, public and customer relations, sales promotion and any other activities to communicate with target markets.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Michael R. Czinkota|author2=Ilkka A. Ronkainen|title=International Marketing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B7tOpAV3TzEC&pg=PA24|date=June 25, 2013|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-1-133-62751-7|page=24}}</ref>


The first reference to the term, the 'marketing mix' was claimed to be in around 1950 by ].<ref>{{ cite journal | author=N.H. Borden | title=The Concept of the Marketing Mix | journal=Journal of Advertising Research | year=1964 | pages=2–7}}</ref><ref>{{citation | author=N.H. Borden | chapter=The Concept of the Marketing Mix |editor=M.J. Baker |title=Marketing: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management | volume=5 | publisher=Routledge | year=2001 | pages= 3–4 | quote=Borden credits his colleague, James Culliton, with the concept of marketers as 'mixers of ingredients' which inspired him to coin the phrase, 'marketing mix'. However, Borden claims credit for the term and certainly contributed to the process of popularising the concept. Culliton, J. ''The Management of Marketing Costs,'' Harvard University, 1948 }}</ref> Borden first used the term, 'marketing mix' in an address given while he was the President of the American Marketing Association in the early 1950s. For instance, he is known to have used the term 'marketing mix' in his presidential address given to the ] in 1953.<ref>Dominici, G., {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127020703/https://faculty.mu.edu.sa/public/uploads/1361725683.7557marketing%20mix54.PDF |date=2021-11-27 }} ''International Journal of Business and Management'', vol. 9, no. 4. 2009, pp 17-24</ref> However, at that stage, theorists and academics were not in agreement as to what elements made up the so-called marketing mix. Instead, they relied on checklists or lengthy classifications of factors that needed to be considered to understand consumer responses.<ref>{{cite journal | author1=W. Waterschoo | author2=C. van den Bulte | title=The 4P Classification of the Marketing Mix Revisited | journal=Journal of Marketing | volume=56 | number=4 | year=1992 | pages=83–93 | jstor=1251988| doi=10.1177/002224299205600407 | s2cid=220607519 }}</ref> It was not until 1960 when ] published his now-classic work, ''Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach'' that the discipline accepted the 4 Ps as constituting the core elements of the marketing mix.<ref>Hunt, Shelby D. and Goolsby, Jerry, "The Rise and Fall of the Functional Approach to Marketing: A Paradigm Displacement Perspective," in ''Historical Perspectives in Marketing: Essays in Honour of Stanley Hollander,'' Terence Nevett and Ronald Fullerton (eds), Lexington, MA, Lexington Books, pp 35-51, sdh.ba.ttu.edu/Rise%20and%20Fall%20(88).pdf</ref> In the 1980s, the 4 Ps was modified and expanded for use in the marketing of services, which were believed to possess unique characteristics which necessitated a different marketing program. The commonly accepted 7Ps of services marketing include: the original four Ps of product, price, place, promotion plus participants (people), physical evidence and process.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grönroos |first=Christian |author-link=Christian Grönroos |date=1994-03-01 |title=From Marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00251749410054774/full/html |journal=Management Decision |language=en |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=4–20 |doi=10.1108/00251749410054774 |issn=0025-1747|hdl=11323/385 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>
Market segmentation is a marketing strategy that categorises or segments the market based on their characteristics. These categories or segments are demographic, geographic, psychographic, psychological and behavioural (market segmentatio<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=1987|title=Market Segmentation.|url=|journal=Journal of Marketing Management|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref>n). Market segmentation is an effective tool for marketers and is said to be a fundamental concept in modern marketing. It realises that individuals have different motivations, desires, lifestyles and tastes. Market segmentation’s effectiveness is in ability to divide a market into segments which management can then use to effectively make further informed decisions. By targeting individuals with similar characteristics, management can create an effective marketing plan for their targeted buyers. They can market their brand and develop and advertise products that relate at deeper and personal level with their targeted customers (market segmentationi<ref name=":3" />).


=== Product ===
'''Demographic'''


A ‘Product’ is "something or anything that can be offered to the customers for attention, acquisition, or consumption and satisfies some want or need." (Riaz & Tanveer (n.d); Goi (2011) and Muala & Qurneh (2012)). The product is the primary means of demonstrating how a company differentiates itself from competitive market offerings. The differences can include quality, reputation, product benefits, product features, brand name or packaging.
Demographic segmentation is the division of the market based on an individual’s sex, age, income and life style. Demographic segmentation is used the most frequently by businesses in comparison to the other market segments. This is possibly because of the ability to easily collect this kind of information. The national census of a country collects this kind of information. Demographic segmentation has been challenged with scholars stating that demographic segmentations such as age and sex are poor behaviour predictors. However, other studies have showed that demographic segmentation is accurate and effective when analysed as a group rather than looking at an individual’s behaviour.


=== Price ===
'''Geographic'''


Price provides customers with an objective measure of value.(Virvilaite et al., 2009; Nakhleh, 2012). Price can be an important signal of product quality. Prices can also attract specific market segments. For instance, premium pricing is used when a more affluent segment is the target, but a lower-priced strategy might be used when price-conscious consumers are the target. Price can also be used tactically, as a means to advertise, short stints of lower prices increase sales for a variety of reasons such as to shift product over-runs or out of season goods.
Geographic segmentation is the division of the market based on an individual’s location. This can be either nationally, regionally or locally and was said to be the first kind of segmentation used practically. Geographic segmentation can be used to compare certain habits and characteristics of different locations. UK’s National Food survey showed that Scotland’s consumption of vegetables and beverages was much lower than England and Wales.


=== Place ===
'''Psychological'''


Place refers to the availability of the product to the targeted customers (Riaz & Tanveer, n.d). So a product or company does not have to be close to where its customer base is but instead they just have to make their product as available as possible. For maximum efficiency, distribution channels must identify where the target market are most likely to make purchases or access the product. Distribution (or place) may also need to consider the needs of special-interest segments such as the elderly or those who are confined to wheelchairs. For instance, businesses may need to provide ramps for wheelchair access or baby change rooms for mothers.
Psychological segmentation is the division of the market based on an individual’s personality, attitudes and interests. This type of segmentation is based around understanding an individual’s traits, habits and reason. Segmenting the market based on personality has been met with controversy. Some scholars state that personality is too complex of a segment and shows disappointing results. Psychological studies have seen trends in certain traits displayed by individuals. Mothers who were difficult to persuade to buy products for their child displayed high-esteem personality traits. In contrast, those portraying low self-esteem were easily influenced. Studies have also shown a correlation between aggression and cigarette smokers in men. This kind of research can prove beneficial to a company segmenting their target market psychologically.


=== Promotion ===
'''Behavioural'''


Promotion refers to "the marketing communication used to make the offer known to potential customers and persuade them to investigate it further".<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|title=Key Concepts in Marketing|last=Blythe|first=Jim|publisher=SAGE Publications Ltd|year=2009|location=Los Angeles}}</ref> May comprise elements such as: ], ], direct marketing and ]. Target marketing allows the marketer or sales team to customize their message to the targeted group of consumers in a focused manner. Research has shown that racial similarity, role congruence, labeling intensity of ethnic identification, shared knowledge and ethnic salience all promote positive effects on the target market. Research has generally shown that target marketing strategies are constructed from ] inferences of similarities between some aspects of the ] (e.g., source pictured, language used, lifestyle represented) and characteristics of the consumer (e.g. reality or desire of having the represented style). Consumers are persuaded by the characteristics in the advertisement and those of the consumer.<ref>Aaker, J., Brumbaugh, A., & Grier, S, & Dick Trickle, "Nontarget Markets and Viewer Distinctiveness: The Impact of Target Marketing on Advertising." ''Journal of Consumer Psychology'' (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), Vol. 9, no. 3, 2000, p. 127</ref>
Behavioural segmentation is the division of the market based on how individuals react or respond to a product. Behavioural segmentation relates to a consumer’s brand loyalty, usage rate and usage situation, to name a few. Consumer’s purchase products primarily for their value or benefits and this is the basic element of this segmentation. Many marketers believe the best starting point for constructing market segmentation is behavioural segmentation. This is understandable as this segment deals an individual’s reaction to the product exclusively. Businesses can use an individual’s reaction to price drops, technology changes and product status to determine how to market their product or service effectively.


== Strategies for segmenting and targeting ==
== Marketing Mix (4 P's) ==
Marketers have outlined five basic strategies to the segmentation and the identification of target markets: undifferentiated marketing or ], differentiated marketing, concentrated marketing (niche marketing) and ] (hyper-segmentation).
The 4p’s, also widely known in the market as the Marketing Mix, is a business tool commonly used in marketing that covers four pieces to help a particular business successfully reach and deliver its products to target consumers. This four piece includes Product, Price Promotion, and Place. It is proven to be known that marketing mix is a crucial part that must be implemented in marketing as it has the ability to determine a group of a particular target consumer’s needs, likes, and most importantly suitability.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/marketing-mix-638.html|title=What Is Marketing Mix?|website=smallbusiness.chron.com|access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref>


=== Mass marketing (undifferentiated marketing) ===
Marketing Mix
Undifferentiated marketing/Mass marketing is a method which is used to target as many people as possible to advertise one message that marketers want the target market to know (Ramya & Subasakthi). When television first came out, undifferentiated marketing was used in almost all commercial campaigns to spread one message across to a mass of people. The types of commercials that played on the television back then would often be similar to one another that would often try to make the viewers laugh, These same commercials would play on air for multiple weeks/months to target as many viewers as possible which is one of the positive aspects of undifferentiated marketing. However, there are also negative aspects to mass marketing as not everyone thinks the same so it would be extremely difficult to get the same message across to a huge number of people (Ramya & Subasakthi).
Marketing mix is a combination of al of the factors at the command of a marketing manger to satisfy the target market McCarthy (1964). The Marketing mix can also be commonly known as the 4P’s (product, price, place and promotion) these are the main parts of the marketing mix and can be distinguished in the real world. ‘Product’, is the item or service that is being offered, through there features and benefits to the consumer these can ether be high or low quality products. ‘Price’, is a combination of the price of the item, payment methods and the price changes, changes in price can give one company have a competitive advantage. ‘Place’ is where the service or item is sold; it also includes the distribution channels in which the company received the service or item. Finally ‘Promotion’ is the market communication achieved by, personal selling, advertising, public and customer relations etc. (Cengiz & Yayla (2007); Shahhosseini & Ardahaey (2011) and Suprihanti (2011))


=== Differentiated marketing strategy ===
The first signs of the marketing mix
Differentiated marketing is a practice in which different messages are advertised to appeal to certain groups of people within the target market (Ramya & Subasakthi). Differentiated marketing however is a method which requires a lot of money to pull off. Due to messages being changed each time to advertise different messages it is extremely expensive to do as it would cost every time to promote a different message. Differentiated marketing also requires a lot time and energy as it takes time to come up with ideas and presentation to market the many different messages, it also requires a lot of resources to use this method. But investing all the time, money and resources into differentiated marketing can be worth it if done correctly, as the different messages can successfully reach the targeted group of people and successfully motivate the targeted group of people to follow the messages that are being advertised (Ramya & Subasakthi).
The fist emergence of the ‘marketing mix’ was claimed to be in 1965 by Borden at this stage it wasn’t split into the 4P’s but instead it was just a few things that helped make up marketing (Rafiq & Ahmed, 1995). The 4P’s were debated at length and then the theory of 8P’s was suggested by Goldsmith (1999), the eight included product, price, place, promotion, participants, physical evidence, process and personalization.


=== Concentrated marketing or niche marketing ===
Price

Price is the most important factor in determining customer satisfaction; the customer weighs up the price of the item or service and then work out if it will benefit them (Virvilaite et al., 2009). The value of the item to consumers will be different for each individual and therefore the amount that the customer is willing to pay to get the item or service also changes (Nakhleh, 2012). Price is the only one of the 4P’s that is required to be set at a certain amount after the other 3 P’s have been set. This means that the price of an item can fluctuate dramatically. Out of the 4P’s price is also the most important for a business due to the fact that it is the only way that a company can make profit and therefore making sure that the price is right is the most important thing that a company can do. The 3 remaining P’s are what are called the variable costs for an organization. The company has to use money to promote, design and distribute a product and the price of the item means has to allow the company to make a profit. The price of the item or service must reflect the supply and demand so that the company is losing out on possible profits from having the price too low or losing sales due to the price being too high. Price can be very influential, a high price may be the best way to gain large short term profits it may not be suitable to keep it at this high price as time goes on. Price can also be used as a means to advertise, short stints of lower prices increase sales for a short time promoting the company.



Product

A ‘Product’ is either a good or service, which is offered to the market by a company. The definition is “something or anything that can be offered to the customers for attention, acquisition, or consumption and satisfies some want or need” (Riaz & Tanveer (n.d); Goi (2011) and Muala & Qurneh (2012)). The product is the main part of the marketing mix where the company can show the different parts of their product compared to that of another product created by another company. The differences can include quality, look, brand name or size. By creating a unique product it allows for a gap in the market to be filled or a new market to be created increasing profits for the company.

Place

Riaz & Tanveer (n.d) wrote that Place refers to the availability of the product to the targeted customers. So a product or company doesn’t have to be close to where its customer base is but instead they just have to make their product as available as possible. This improves efficiency and therefore price can be dropped intern increasing sales and profit. For max profits a company’s distribution channels must be effective in enticing the customer.
<ref></ref>

==Strategies for reaching target markets==
Marketers have outlined four basic strategies to satisfy target markets: undifferentiated marketing or ], differentiated marketing, concentrated marketing, and ]/ nichemarketing.

===Mass marketing (Undifferentiated Marketing)===
Undifferentiated marketing/Mass marketing is a method which is used to target as many people as possible to advertise one message that marketers want the target market to know (Ramya & Subasakthi). When television first came out, undifferentiated marketing was used in almost all commercial campaigns to spread one message across to a mass of people. The types of commercials that played on the television back then would often be similar to one another that would often try to make the viewers laugh, These same commercials would play on air for multiple weeks/months to target as many viewers as possible which is one of the positive aspects of undifferentiated marketing. However there are also negative aspects to mass marketing as not everyone thinks the same so it would be extremely difficult to get the same message across to a huge number of people (Ramya & Subasakthi).

===Differentiated marketing strategy===
Differentiated marketing is a practice at which different messages is advertised to appeal to certain groups on people within the target market (Ramya & Subasakthi). Differentiated marketing however is a method which requires a lot of money to pull off. Due to messages being changed each time to advertise different messages it is extremely expensive to do as it would cost every time to promote a different message. Differentiated marketing also requires a lot time and energy as it takes time to come up with ideas and presentation to market the many different messages, it also requires a lot of resources to use this method. But investing all the time, money and resources into differentiated marketing can be worth it if done correctly, as the different messages can successfully reach the targeted group of people and successfully motivate the targeted group of people to follow the messages that are being advertised (Ramya & Subasakthi).

===Concentrated marketing Or Niche marketing===
Niche marketing is a term used in business that focuses on selling its products and services solely on a specific target market. Despite being attractive for small businesses, niche marketing is highly considered to be a difficult marketing strategy as businesses may need thorough and in-depth research to reach its specific target market in order to succeed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/niche-marketing-strategy-80617.html|title=Niche Marketing Strategy|website=smallbusiness.chron.com|access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref> Niche marketing is a term used in business that focuses on selling its products and services solely on a specific target market. Despite being attractive for small businesses, niche marketing is highly considered to be a difficult marketing strategy as businesses may need thorough and in-depth research to reach its specific target market in order to succeed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smallbusiness.chron.com/niche-marketing-strategy-80617.html|title=Niche Marketing Strategy|website=smallbusiness.chron.com|access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref>


According to (Caragher, 2008),<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Caragher|first=Jean Marie|date=2008|title=Expand Your Horizons: Niche Marketing Success Stories|url=http://ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/206796610?accountid=8440|journal=Journal of Accountancy|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref> niche marketing is when a firm/ company focuses on a particular aspect or group of consumers to deliver their product and marketing to. Niche marketing, is also primarily known as concentrated marketing, which means that firms are using all their resources and skills on one particular niche. Niche marketing has become one of the most successful marketing strategies for many firms as it identifies key resources and gives the marketer a specific category to focus on and present information to. This allows companies to have a competitive advantage over other larger firms targeting the same group; as a result, it generates higher profit margins. Smaller firms usually implement this method, so that they are able to concentrate on one particular aspect and give full priority to that segment, which helps them compete with larger firms.<ref name=":2" /> According to (Caragher, 2008),<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Caragher|first=Jean Marie|date=2008|title=Expand Your Horizons: Niche Marketing Success Stories|journal=Journal of Accountancy|id={{ProQuest|206796610}}}}</ref> niche marketing is when a firm/ company focuses on a particular aspect or group of consumers to deliver their product and marketing to. Niche marketing, is also primarily known as concentrated marketing, which means that firms are using all their resources and skills on one particular niche. Niche marketing has become one of the most successful marketing strategies for many firms as it identifies key resources and gives the marketer a specific category to focus on and present information to. This allows companies to have a competitive advantage over other larger firms targeting the same group; as a result, it generates higher profit margins. Smaller firms usually implement this method, so that they are able to concentrate on one particular aspect and give full priority to that segment, which helps them compete with larger firms.<ref name=":2" />


Some specialities of niche marketing help the marketing team determine marketing programs and provide clear and specific establishments for marketing plans and goal setting. According to, (Hamlin, Knight and Cuthbert, 2015),<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hamlin|first=Robert|date=2015|title=Niche Marketing And Farm Diversification Processes: Insights From New Zealand And Canada|url=http://ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1757741033?accountid=8440|journal=Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref> niche marketing is usually when firms react to an existing situation. Some specialities of niche marketing help the marketing team determine marketing programs and provide clear and specific establishments for marketing plans and goal setting. According to, (Hamlin, Knight and Cuthbert, 2015),<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hamlin|first=Robert|date=2015|title=Niche Marketing And Farm Diversification Processes: Insights From New Zealand And Canada|journal=Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems|id={{ProQuest|1757741033}}}}</ref> niche marketing is usually when firms react to an existing situation.


There are different ways for firms to identify their niche market, but the most common method applied for finding out a niche is by using a marketing audit. This is where a firm evaluates multiple internal and external factors. Factors applied in the audit identify the company’s weaknesses and strengths, company’s current client base and current marketing techniques. This would then help determine which marketing approach would best fit their niche. There are different ways for firms to identify their niche market, but the most common method applied for finding out a niche is by using a marketing audit. This is where a firm evaluates multiple internal and external factors. Factors applied in the audit identify the company's weaknesses and strengths, company's current client base and current marketing techniques. This would then help determine which marketing approach would best fit their niche.


There are 5 key aspects or steps, which are required to achieve successful niche marketing. 1: develop a marketing plan; 2: focus your marketing program; 3: niche to compete against larger firms; 4: niche based upon expertise; 5: develop niches through mergers.<ref name=":2" /> There are 5 key aspects or steps, which are required to achieve successful niche marketing. 1: develop a marketing plan; 2: focus your marketing program; 3: niche to compete against larger firms; 4: niche based upon expertise; 5: develop niches through mergers.<ref name=":2" />
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A company may have found their potential niche but are unable to market their product/ service across to the niche. This is where merging industry specialist are utilised. As one company may have the tools and skills to market to the niche and the other may have the skills to gather all the necessary information required to conduct this marketing. According to (Caragher, 2008),<ref name=":2" /> niche marketing, if done effectively, can be a very powerful concept.<ref name=":2" /> A company may have found their potential niche but are unable to market their product/ service across to the niche. This is where merging industry specialist are utilised. As one company may have the tools and skills to market to the niche and the other may have the skills to gather all the necessary information required to conduct this marketing. According to (Caragher, 2008),<ref name=":2" /> niche marketing, if done effectively, can be a very powerful concept.<ref name=":2" />


Overall, niche marketing is a great marketing strategy for firms, mainly small and medium-sized firms, as it is a specific and straightforward marketing approach. Once a firm’s niche is identified, a team or marketers can then apply relevant marketing to satisfy that niche’s wants and demands.<ref name=":2" /> Overall, niche marketing is a great marketing strategy for firms, mainly small and medium-sized firms, as it is a specific and straightforward marketing approach. Once a firm's niche is identified, a team or marketers can then apply relevant marketing to satisfy that niche's wants and demands.<ref name=":2" />


Niche marketing also closely interlinks with direct marketing as direct marketing can easily be implemented on niches within target markets for a more effective marketing approach. Niche marketing also closely interlinks with direct marketing as direct marketing can easily be implemented on niches within target markets for a more effective marketing approach.


===Direct marketing=== === Direct marketing ===
Direct marketing is a method which firms are able to market directly to their customers needs and wants, it focuses on consumer spending habits and their potential interests. Firms use direct marketing a communication channel to interact and reach out to their existing consumers (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Direct marketing is done by collecting consumer data through various means. An example is the internet and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Those were a few online methods of which organisations gather their data to know what their consumers like and want allowing organisations to cater to what their target markets wants and their interest (Lund & Marinova, 2014). This method of marketing is becoming increasingly popular as the data allows organisations to come up with more effective promotional strategies and come up with better customize promotional offers that are more accurate to what the customers like, it will also allows organisations to uses their resources more effectively and efficiently and improve customer management relationships. An important tool that organisations use in direct marketing is the RFM model (recency-frequency-monetary value) (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Despite all the benefits this method can bring, it can be extremely costly which means organisation with low budget constraints would have trouble using this method of marketing. Direct marketing is a method which firms are able to market directly to their customers needs and wants, it focuses on ] habits and their potential interests. Firms use direct marketing a communication channel to interact and reach out to their existing consumers (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Direct marketing is done by collecting consumer data through various means. An example is the internet and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Those were a few online methods of which organisations gather their data to know what their consumers like and want allowing organisations to cater to what their target markets wants and their interest (Lund & Marinova, 2014). This method of marketing is becoming increasingly popular as the data allows organisations to come up with more effective promotional strategies and come up with better customize promotional offers that are more accurate to what the customers like, it will also allows organisations to uses their resources more effectively and efficiently and improve customer management relationships. An important tool that organisations use in direct marketing is the ] model (recency-frequency-monetary value) (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Despite all the benefits this method can bring, it can be extremely costly which means organisation with low budget constraints would have trouble using this method of marketing..


== Online targeting ==
==The psychology of target marketing==
A principal concept in target marketing is that those who are targeted show a strong affinity or ] to that particular ]. Target Marketing allows the marketer or sales team to customize their message to the targeted group of consumers in a focused manner. Research has shown that racial similarity, role congruence, labeling intensity of ethnic identification, shared knowledge and ethnic salience all promote positive effects on the target market. Research has generally shown that target marketing strategies are constructed from ] inferences of similarities between some aspects of the ] (e.g., source pictured, language used, lifestyle represented) and characteristics of the consumer (e.g. reality or desire of having the represented style). Consumers are persuaded by the characteristics in the advertisement and those of the consumer.<ref>Aaker, J., Brumbaugh, A., & Grier, S, & Dick Trickle. (2000). "Nontarget Markets and Viewer Distinctiveness: The Impact of Target Marketing on Advertising." ''Journal of Consumer Psychology'' (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 9(3), 127. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database</ref>

==Online targeting==
{{see also|Online advertising}} {{see also|Online advertising}}


Digital communications have allowed marketers to segment markets at ever tighter levels - right down to the individual consumer.<ref>Tedlow, R.A. and Jones, G., ''The Rise and Fall of Mass Marketing'', Routledge, N.Y., 1993 Chapter 2</ref> This process is known as ], cyber-segmentation or hyper-segmentation. In effect, this allows to the marketer to pursue both a differentiated marketing strategy and a niche marketing strategy to reach the smallest groups in the marketplace.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kara | first1 = A. | last2 = Kaynak | first2 = E. | year = 1997 | title = Markets of a Single Customer: Exploiting Conceptual Developments in Market Segmentation | journal = ] | volume = 31 | issue = 11/12| pages = 873–885 | doi = 10.1108/03090569710190587 }}</ref>
Targeting in ] is when advertisers use a series of methods in order to showcase a particular advertisement to a specific group of people.<ref name="Internet Advertising">{{cite journal|last1=Cole|first1=Agatha|title=Internet Advertising After Sorrell V. IMS Health: A Discussion on Data Privacy & the First Amendment.|journal=Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal|date=2012|volume=30|issue=2|pages=283–316}}</ref> Advertisers use these techniques in order to find distinct individuals that would be most interested in their product or service. With the social media practices of today, advertising has become a very profitable industry.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> People are constantly exposed to advertisements and their content, which is key to its success. In the past, advertisers had tried to build brand names with television and magazines; however, advertisers have been using audience targeting as a new form of medium.<ref name="Internet Vs TV">{{cite journal|last1=Draganska|first1=Michaela|last2=Hartmann|first2=Wesely R|last3=Stanglein|first3=Gena|title=Internet Versus Television Advertising: A Brand-Building Comparison.|journal=Journal of Marketing Research|date=October 2014|volume=15|issue=5|pages=578–590}}</ref> The rise of internet users and its wide availability has made this possible for advertisers.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> Targeting specific audiences has allowed for advertisers to constantly change the content of the advertisements to fit the needs and interests of the individual viewer. The content of different advertisements are presented to each consumer to fit their individual needs.<ref name="Evaluating the Performance">{{cite journal|last1=Jansen|first1=Bernard J|last2=Moore|first2=Kathleen|last3=Carmen|first3=Stephen|title=Evaluating the Performance of Demographic Targeting Using Gender in Sponsored Search|journal=Information Processing & Management|date=2013|volume=49|pages=286–302}}</ref>

Hyper-segmentation relies on extensive information technology, big databases, computerized and flexible manufacturing systems, and integrated distribution systems. Data is captured from electronic communications devices, mapped and logged with a management information system. This enables the integration of observed behaviour (domains accessed) with motives (content involvement), geographics (IP addresses), demographics (self-reported registration details) and brand preferences (site-loyalty, site stickiness). Additional data inputs might include behavioural variables such as frequency (site visits), diversity including visitation across different landscapes and fluidity spanning multiple time periods. Programmed business intelligence software analyses this data and in the process, may also source data inputs from other internal information networks.<ref>Louvieris, P., Driver, J. 2001. New Frontiers in Cybersegmentation: Marketing Success in Cyberspace Depends in IP address. Qualitative Market Research. 4. (3). pp. 169-181.</ref> Marketers and advertisers can then use an inventory of stock images and phrases to compile customised promotion offers in real-time which are delivered to prospective purchasers with a strong interest in the product, or who are in an advanced state of buyer-readiness.<ref name="Internet Advertising">{{cite journal|last1=Cole|first1=Agatha|title=Internet Advertising After Sorrell V. IMS Health: A Discussion on Data Privacy & the First Amendment.|journal=Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal|date=2012|volume=30|issue=2|pages=283–316}}</ref>

With increased availability of electronic scanner data there has been a greater focus on research of micromarketing and ] problems that retailers encounter. Research in 1995 by Stephen J. Hoch et al. provided empirical evidence for the micromarketing concept. In 1997, Alan Montgomery used ]s to improve the estimation procedures of ], showing that micromarketing strategies can increase gross profits.<ref>Weitz, Barton and Robin Wensley. Handbook of Marketing, SAGE 2002.</ref>

With the advent of social media, advertising has become a more efficient at reaching relatively small target audiences.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> People are constantly exposed to advertisements and their content, which is key to its success. In the past, advertisers had tried to build brand names with television and magazines; however, advertisers have been using audience targeting as a new form of medium.<ref name="Internet Vs TV">{{cite journal|last1=Draganska|first1=Michaela|last2=Hartmann|first2=Wesely R|last3=Stanglein|first3=Gena|title=Internet Versus Television Advertising: A Brand-Building Comparison.|journal=Journal of Marketing Research|date=October 2014|volume=15|issue=5|pages=578–590|doi=10.1509/jmr.13.0124|s2cid=167701285 }}</ref> The rise of internet users and its wide availability has made this possible for advertisers.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> Targeting specific audiences has allowed for advertisers to constantly change the content of the advertisements to fit the needs and interests of the individual viewer. The content of different advertisements are presented to each consumer to fit their individual needs.<ref name="Evaluating the Performance">{{cite journal|last1=Jansen|first1=Bernard J|last2=Moore|first2=Kathleen|last3=Carmen|first3=Stephen|title=Evaluating the Performance of Demographic Targeting Using Gender in Sponsored Search|journal=Information Processing & Management|date=2013|volume=49|pages=286–302|doi=10.1016/j.ipm.2012.06.001}}</ref>

The first forms of online advertising targeting came with the implementation of the personal email message.<ref name="spam email">{{cite news|last1=Seabrook|first1=Andrea|title=At 30, Spam Going Nowhere Soon|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90160617|access-date=1 April 2015|publisher=NPR|date=May 30, 2008}}</ref> The implementation of the internet in the 1990s had created a new advertising medium;<ref name="internet history">{{cite journal|last1=Hairong|first1=Li|title=The Interactive Web|journal=Journal of Advertising Research|date=March 2011|volume=51|pages=13–34|doi=10.2501/JAR-51-1-013-026|s2cid=168007631 }} See p. 14.</ref> until marketers realized that the internet was a multibillion-dollar industry, most advertising was limited or illicit.<ref name="history of">{{cite web|title=Coalition for Networked Information Information Policies: A Compilation of Position Statements, Principles, Statutes, and Other Pertinent Statements|url=http://old.cni.org/docs/infopols/NSF.html|website=old.cni.org|publisher=National Science Foundation|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824150611/http://old.cni.org/docs/infopols/NSF.html|archive-date=2013-08-24}}</ref>


Many argue that the largest disadvantage to this new age of advertising is lack of privacy and the lack of transparency between the consumer and the marketers.<ref name="Battle for online targeting">{{cite journal|title=The Battle for Online Behavioral Advertising Regulation and Legislation: A Contemporary History.|journal=Conference Papers -- International Communication Association|date=2011|volume=1|pages=1–29}}</ref> Much of the information collected is used without the knowledge of the consumer or their consent.<ref name="Battle for online targeting" /> Those who oppose online targeting are worried that personal information will be leaked online such as their personal finances, health records, and personal identification information.<ref name="Battle for online targeting" />
The first forms of online advertising targeting came with the implementation of the personal email message <ref name="spam email">{{cite news|last1=Seabrook|first1=Andrea|title=At 30, Spam Going Nowhere Soon|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90160617|accessdate=1 April 2015|publisher=NPR|date=May 30, 2008}}</ref> The implementation of the internet in the 1990s had created a new advertising medium;<ref name="internet history">{{cite journal|last1=Hairong|first1=Li|title=The Interactive Web|journal=Journal of Advertising Research|date=March 2011|volume=51|pages=13–34}} See p. 14.</ref> until marketers realized that the internet was a multibillion-dollar industry, most advertising was limited or illicit <ref name="history of">{{cite web|title=Coalition for Networked Information Information Policies: A Compilation of Position Statements, Principles, Statutes, and Other Pertinent Statements|url=http://old.cni.org/docs/infopols/NSF.html|website=old.cni.org|publisher=National Science Foundation}}</ref>


Advertisers use three basic steps in order to target a specific audience: ], ], and implementation.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> They use these steps to accurately gather information from different internet users. The data they collect includes information such as the internet user's age, gender, race, and many other contributing factors.<ref name="Evaluating the Performance" /> Digital communications has given rise to new methods of targeting:<ref name="Internet Advertising" />
Many argue that the largest disadvantage to this new age of advertising is lack of privacy and the lack of transparency between the consumer and the marketers.<ref name="Battle for online targeting">{{cite journal|title=The Battle for Online Behavioral Advertising Regulation and Legislation: A Contemporary History.|journal=Conference Papers -- International Communication Association|date=2011|volume=1|pages=1–29}}</ref> Much of the information collected is used without the knowledge of the consumer or their consent <ref name="Battle for online targeting" /> Those who oppose online targeting are worried that personal information will be leaked online such as their personal finances, health records, and personal identification information.<ref name="Battle for online targeting" />


* Addressable advertising
Advertisers use three basic steps in order to target a specific audience: ], ], and implementation.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> They use these steps to accurately gather information from different internet users. The data they collect includes information such as the internet user's age, gender, race, and many other contributing factors.<ref name="Evaluating the Performance" /> Advertisers need to use different methods in order to capture this information to target audiences. Many new methods have been implemented in internet advertising in order to gather this information. These methods include ], ], retargeting, and location-based targeting.<ref name="Internet Advertising" />
*]
* Location-based targeting
* Reverse segmentation (a segment-building approach rather than a segmentation approach)


Much of the information gathered is collected as the consumers are browsing the web. Many internet users are unaware of the amount of information being taken from them as they browse the internet. They don't know how it is being collected and what it is being used for. Cookies are used, along with other online tracking systems, in order to monitor the internet behaviors of consumers.<ref name="Tracking Easier">{{cite journal|last1=Learmonth|first1=Michael|title=Tracking Makes Life Easier for Consumers|journal=Advertising Age|date=2009-07-13|volume=80|issue=25|pages=3–25}}</ref> These methods rely on data collected from consumer-browsing histories and as such, rely on observed behaviour rather than self-reported behaviours. The implication is that data collected is much more reliable, but at the same time attracts concerns about consumer privacy. Many internet users are unaware of the amount of information being taken from them as they browse the internet. They don't know how it is being collected and what it is being used for. Cookies are used, along with other ], in order to monitor the internet behaviors of consumers.<ref name="Tracking Easier">{{cite journal|last1=Learmonth|first1=Michael|title=Tracking Makes Life Easier for Consumers|journal=Advertising Age|date=2009-07-13|volume=80|issue=25|pages=3–25}}</ref>


Many of these implemented methods have proven to be extremely profitable.<ref name="Targeting without Alienating">{{cite journal|last1=Guillaume|first1=Johnson D|last2=Greir|first2=Sonya A|title=Targeting without Alienating: Multicultural Advertising and the Subtleties of Targeted Advertising|journal= International Journal of Advertising|date=2011|volume=2|issue=30|pages=233–258}}</ref> This has been beneficial for all three parties involved: the advertiser, the producer of the good or service, and the consumer.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> Those who are opposed of targeting in online advertising are still doubtful of its productivity, often arguing the lack of privacy given to internet users.<ref name="Online Privacy">{{cite journal|last1=Sheehan|first1=Kim Bartel|last2=Gleason|first2=Timothy W|title=Online Privacy: Internet Advertising Practitioners' Knowledge and Practices|journal=Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising|date=Spring 2001|volume=23|issue=1|pages=31–41|doi=10.1080/10641734.2001.10505112}}</ref> Many regulations have been in place to combat this issue throughout the United States.<ref name=Regulations>{{cite journal|last1=Learmonth|first1=Michael|title=Fact vs. fiction: Truth about regulation and online-ad biz.|journal=Advertising Age|date=2011-04-04|volume=82|issue=14|page=C6-C7}}</ref> Many of these implemented methods have proven to be extremely effective.<ref name="Targeting without Alienating">{{cite journal|last1=Guillaume|first1=Johnson D|last2=Greir|first2=Sonya A|title=Targeting without Alienating: Multicultural Advertising and the Subtleties of Targeted Advertising|journal= International Journal of Advertising|date=2011|volume=2|issue=30|pages=233–258}}</ref> This has been beneficial for all three parties involved: the advertiser, the producer of the good or service, and the consumer.<ref name="Internet Advertising" /> Those who are opposed of targeting in online advertising are still doubtful of its productivity, often arguing the lack of privacy given to internet users.<ref name="Online Privacy">{{cite journal|last1=Sheehan|first1=Kim Bartel|last2=Gleason|first2=Timothy W|title=Online Privacy: Internet Advertising Practitioners' Knowledge and Practices|journal=Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising|date=Spring 2001|volume=23|issue=1|pages=31–41|doi=10.1080/10641734.2001.10505112|s2cid=167629473 }}</ref> Many regulations have been in place to combat this issue throughout the United States.<ref name=Regulations>{{cite journal|last1=Learmonth|first1=Michael|title=Fact vs. fiction: Truth about regulation and online-ad biz.|journal=Advertising Age|date=2011-04-04|volume=82|issue=14|page=C6–C7}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
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Latest revision as of 06:52, 30 December 2024

Group of people toward which an organization has decided to aim its marketing efforts For the retail stores, see Target Corporation.
Marketing
Key concepts
Promotional content
Promotional media
Research

A target market, also known as serviceable obtainable market (SOM), is a group of customers within a business's serviceable available market at which a business aims its marketing efforts and resources. A target market is a subset of the total market for a product or service.

The target market typically consists of consumers who exhibit similar characteristics (such as age, location, income or lifestyle) and are considered most likely to buy a business's market offerings or are likely to be the most profitable segments for the business to service by OCHOM

Once the target market(s) have been identified, the business will normally tailor the marketing mix (4 Ps) with the needs and expectations of the target in mind. This may involve carrying out additional consumer research in order to gain deep insights into the typical consumer's motivations, purchasing habits and media usage patterns.

The choice of a suitable target market is one of the final steps in the market segmentation process. The choice of a target market relies heavily on the marketer's judgement, after carrying out basic research to identify those segments with the greatest potential for the business.

Occasionally a business may select more than one segment as the focus of its activities, in which case, it would normally identify a primary target and a secondary target. Primary target markets are those market segments to which marketing efforts are primarily directed and where more of the business's resources are allocated, while secondary markets are often smaller segments or less vital to a product's success.

Selecting the "right" target market is a complex and difficult decision. However, a number of heuristics have been developed to assist with making this decision.

Definition

A target market is a group of customers (individuals, households or organisations), for which an organisation designs, implements and maintains a marketing mix suitable for the needs and preferences of that group.

Target marketing goes against the grain of mass marketing. It involves identifying and selecting specific segments for special attention. Targeting, or the selection of a target market, is just one of the many decisions made by marketers and business analysts during the segmentation process.

Examples of target markets used in practice include:

  • Rolls-Royce (motor vehicles): wealthy individuals who are looking for the ultimate in prestige and luxury.


  • Dooney and Bourke handbags: teenage girls and young women under 35 years

Background

Selecting the target market is the second step in the STP approach.

Selection of a target market (or target markets) is part of the overall process known as S-T-P (SegmentationTargeting→Positioning). Before a business can develop a positioning strategy, it must first segment the market and identify the target (or targets) for the positioning strategy. This allows the business to tailor its marketing activities with the needs, wants, aspirations and expectations of target customers in mind. This enables the business to use its marketing resources more efficiently, resulting in more cost and time efficient marketing efforts. It allows for a richer understanding of customers and therefore enables the creation of marketing strategies and tactics, such as product design, pricing and promotion, that will connect with customers' hearts and minds. Also, targeting makes it possible to collect more precise data about customer needs and behaviors and then analyze that information over time in order to refine market strategies effectively.

The first step in the S-T-P process is market segmentation. In this phase of the planning process, the business identifies the market potential or the total available market (TAM). This is the total number of existing customers plus potential customers, and may also include important influencers. For example, the potential market or TAM for feminine sanitary products might be defined as all women aged 14–50 years. Given that this is a very broad market in terms of both its demographic composition and its needs, this market can be segmented to ascertain whether internal groups with different product needs can be identified. In other words, the market is looking for market-based opportunities that are a good match its current product offerings or whether new product/service offerings need to be devised for specific segments within the overall market.

Euler diagram showing the relationship among Target Market, Served Available Market (SAM), and Total Available Market (TAM)

Market segmentation

Main article: Market segmentation

Markets generally fall into two broad types, namely consumer markets and business markets. A consumer market consists of individuals or households who purchase goods for private consumption and do not intend to resell those goods for a profit. A business market consists of individuals or organisations who purchase goods for one of three main purposes; (a) for resale; (b) for use in producing other goods or services and; (c) for general use in daily business operations. Approaches to segmentation will vary depending on whether the total available market (TAM) is a consumer market or a business market.

Market segmentation is the process of dividing a total available market, using one of a number of key bases for segmenting such as demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioural or needs-based segments. For example, a demographic segmentation of the adult male population might yield the segments, Men 18-24; Men 25-39, Men 40-59 and Men 60+. Whereas a psychographic segmentation might yield segments such as Young Singles, Traditional Families, Socially Awares and Conservatives. Identifying consumer demand and opportunity within these segments should assist the marketer to identify the most profitable segments.

Although there are many different ways to segment a market, the most common bases used in practice are:

  • Geographic – Residential address, location, climate, region.
  • Demographic/socioeconomic segmentation – Gender, age, income, occupation, socio-economic status, educational-level, family status, marital status, ethnic group, religious affiliation.
  • Psychographic – Attitudes, values, beliefs, interests and lifestyles.
  • Behavioral – usage occasion, degree of loyalty, user status, purchase-readiness
  • Needs-based segmentation – relationship between the customer's needs for specific features and product or service benefits

During the market segmentation process, the marketing analyst will have developed detailed profiles for each segment formed. This profile typically describes the similarities between consumers within each segment and the differences between consumers across each of the segments. The primary use of the segment profile is to assess the extent to which a firm's offerings meet the needs of different segments. A profile will include all such information as is relevant for the product or service and may include basic demographic descriptors, purchasing habits, disposition to spend, benefits-sought, brand preferences, loyalty behavior, usage frequency and any other information deemed relevant to the subject at hand.

The segment profile assists in the decision-making process and has a number of specific benefits:

  • assists to determine those segments that are most attractive to the business
  • provides quantitative data about segments for a more objective assessment of segment attractiveness
  • assists in tailoring the product or service offering to the needs of various segments
  • provides basic information to assist with targeting
  • allocating the firm's resources effectively

After profiling all the market segments formed during the segmentation process, detailed market analysis is carried out to identify one or more segments that are worthy of further investigation. Additional research may be undertaken at this juncture to ascertain which segments require detailed analysis with the potential to become target segments.

Selecting the target market

A key consideration in selecting the target markets is whether customer needs are sufficiently different to warrant segmentation and targeting. In the event that customer needs across the entire market are relatively similar, then the business may decide to use an undifferentiated approach. On the other hand, when customer needs are different across segments, then a differentiated (i.e. targeted) approach is warranted. In certain circumstances, the segmentation analysis may reveal that none of the segments offer genuine opportunities and the firm may decide not to enter the market.

When a marketer enters more than one market, the segments are often labeled the primary target market and the secondary target market. The primary market is the target market selected as the main focus of marketing activities and most of the firm's resources are allocated to the primary target. The secondary target market is likely to be a segment that is not as large as the primary market, but may have growth potential. Alternatively, the secondary target group might consist of a small number of purchasers that account for a relatively high proportion of sales volume perhaps due to purchase value, purchase frequency or loyalty.

In terms of evaluating markets, three core considerations are essential:

  • Segment size and growth
  • Segment structural attractiveness
  • Compatibility with company objectives and resources.

However, these considerations are somewhat subjective and call for high levels of managerial judgement. Accordingly, analysts have turned to more objective measures of segment attractiveness. Historically a number of different approaches have been used to select target markets. These include:

Distance Criterion: Under this approach, the business attempts to define the primary geographic catchment area for the business by identifying people who live within a predetermined distance of the business. For a retailer or service-provider the distance might be around 5 km; for domestic tourist destination, the distance might be 300km. This method is used extensively in retailing.
Sales Criterion: Using this method, the business allocates its resources to target markets based on historical sales patterns. This method is especially useful when used in conjunction with sales conversion rates. This method is used in retail. A disadvantage of the method is that it assumes past sales will remain constant and fails to account for incremental market potential.
Interest Survey Methods: This method is used to identify new business potential. Primary research, typically in the form of surveys, identifies people who have not purchased a product or service, but have positive attitudes and exhibit some interest in making a purchase in the short-term. Although this method overcomes some of the disadvantages of other methods, it is expensive even when syndicated research is used.
Chain ratio and indexing methods: This method is used in marketing of branded goods and retail. It involves ranking alternative market segments based on current indices. Widely used indices are the Category Index and Brand Index. The Category Index measures overall patterns within the product category while the Brand Index calculates a given brand's performance within the category. By dividing the Category Index by the Brand Index, a measure of market potential can be obtained.

International segmentation and targeting

Segmentation and targeting for international markets is a critical success factor in international expansion. Yet, the diversity of foreign markets in terms of their market attractiveness and risk profile, complicates the process of selecting which markets to enter and which consumers to target. Targeting decisions in international markets have an additional layer of complexity.

An established stream of literature focussing on International Market Segmentation (IMS) suggests that international segmentation and targeting decisions employ a two-stage process:

1. Macro-segmentation (assess countries for market attractiveness, i.e. market size, market potential)
2. Micro-segmentation (i.e. consumer-level based on personal values and social values)

Analysis carried out in the first stage focuses involves the collection of comparative information about different countries with a view to identifying the most valuable markets to enter. This is facilitated by the relatively wide data availability for macro-variables. Most government departments collect business census data as well as data for a broad range of economic and social indicators that can be used to gauge the attractiveness of various destinations.

Positioning

Main article: Positioning (marketing)

Positioning is the final step in the S-T-P planning approach (Segmentation→ Targeting → Positioning). Positioning refers to decisions about how to present the offer in a way that resonates with the target market. During the research and analysis carried out during the segmentation and targeting process, the marketer will have gained insights into what motivates consumers to purchase a product or brand. These insights can be used to inform the development of the positioning strategy.

Firms typically develop a detailed positioning statement which includes the target market definition, the market need, the product name and category, the key benefit delivered and the basis of the product's differentiation from any competing alternatives. The communications strategy is the primary means by which businesses communicate their positioning statement to target audiences.

Marketing mix (4 Ps)

Main article: Marketing mix

Once the segmentation has been carried out, target markets selected and the positioning strategy developed, the marketer can begin to shape the marketing mix (or marketing program) around the needs, wants and motivations of the target audience. The traditional marketing mix refers to four broad levels of marketing decision, namely: product, price, promotion, and place. When implemented successfully, these activities should deliver a firm's products or services to target consumers in a cost efficient manner. The four core marketing activities include: product, price, place and promotion.

The marketing mix is the combination of all of the factors at the command of a marketing manager to satisfy the target market. The elements of the marketing mix are: Product – the item or service that is being offered, through its features and consumer benefits and how it is positioned within the marketplace whether it be a high or low quality product. Price, is a reference to the sacrifices made by a consumer to acquire a product and may include both monetary and psychological costs such as the combination of the ticket price, payment methods and other associated acquisition costs. Place refers to the way that a product physically reaches the consumer – where the service or item is sold; it also includes the distribution channels in which the company uses to get products or services to market. Finally, Promotion refers to marketing communications used to convey the offer to consumers and may include; personal selling, advertising, public and customer relations, sales promotion and any other activities to communicate with target markets.

The first reference to the term, the 'marketing mix' was claimed to be in around 1950 by Neil H. Borden. Borden first used the term, 'marketing mix' in an address given while he was the President of the American Marketing Association in the early 1950s. For instance, he is known to have used the term 'marketing mix' in his presidential address given to the American Marketing Association in 1953. However, at that stage, theorists and academics were not in agreement as to what elements made up the so-called marketing mix. Instead, they relied on checklists or lengthy classifications of factors that needed to be considered to understand consumer responses. It was not until 1960 when E. Jerome McCarthy published his now-classic work, Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach that the discipline accepted the 4 Ps as constituting the core elements of the marketing mix. In the 1980s, the 4 Ps was modified and expanded for use in the marketing of services, which were believed to possess unique characteristics which necessitated a different marketing program. The commonly accepted 7Ps of services marketing include: the original four Ps of product, price, place, promotion plus participants (people), physical evidence and process.

Product

A ‘Product’ is "something or anything that can be offered to the customers for attention, acquisition, or consumption and satisfies some want or need." (Riaz & Tanveer (n.d); Goi (2011) and Muala & Qurneh (2012)). The product is the primary means of demonstrating how a company differentiates itself from competitive market offerings. The differences can include quality, reputation, product benefits, product features, brand name or packaging.

Price

Price provides customers with an objective measure of value.(Virvilaite et al., 2009; Nakhleh, 2012). Price can be an important signal of product quality. Prices can also attract specific market segments. For instance, premium pricing is used when a more affluent segment is the target, but a lower-priced strategy might be used when price-conscious consumers are the target. Price can also be used tactically, as a means to advertise, short stints of lower prices increase sales for a variety of reasons such as to shift product over-runs or out of season goods.

Place

Place refers to the availability of the product to the targeted customers (Riaz & Tanveer, n.d). So a product or company does not have to be close to where its customer base is but instead they just have to make their product as available as possible. For maximum efficiency, distribution channels must identify where the target market are most likely to make purchases or access the product. Distribution (or place) may also need to consider the needs of special-interest segments such as the elderly or those who are confined to wheelchairs. For instance, businesses may need to provide ramps for wheelchair access or baby change rooms for mothers.

Promotion

Promotion refers to "the marketing communication used to make the offer known to potential customers and persuade them to investigate it further". May comprise elements such as: advertising, PR, direct marketing and sales promotion. Target marketing allows the marketer or sales team to customize their message to the targeted group of consumers in a focused manner. Research has shown that racial similarity, role congruence, labeling intensity of ethnic identification, shared knowledge and ethnic salience all promote positive effects on the target market. Research has generally shown that target marketing strategies are constructed from consumer inferences of similarities between some aspects of the advertisement (e.g., source pictured, language used, lifestyle represented) and characteristics of the consumer (e.g. reality or desire of having the represented style). Consumers are persuaded by the characteristics in the advertisement and those of the consumer.

Strategies for segmenting and targeting

Marketers have outlined five basic strategies to the segmentation and the identification of target markets: undifferentiated marketing or mass marketing, differentiated marketing, concentrated marketing (niche marketing) and micromarketing (hyper-segmentation).

Mass marketing (undifferentiated marketing)

Undifferentiated marketing/Mass marketing is a method which is used to target as many people as possible to advertise one message that marketers want the target market to know (Ramya & Subasakthi). When television first came out, undifferentiated marketing was used in almost all commercial campaigns to spread one message across to a mass of people. The types of commercials that played on the television back then would often be similar to one another that would often try to make the viewers laugh, These same commercials would play on air for multiple weeks/months to target as many viewers as possible which is one of the positive aspects of undifferentiated marketing. However, there are also negative aspects to mass marketing as not everyone thinks the same so it would be extremely difficult to get the same message across to a huge number of people (Ramya & Subasakthi).

Differentiated marketing strategy

Differentiated marketing is a practice in which different messages are advertised to appeal to certain groups of people within the target market (Ramya & Subasakthi). Differentiated marketing however is a method which requires a lot of money to pull off. Due to messages being changed each time to advertise different messages it is extremely expensive to do as it would cost every time to promote a different message. Differentiated marketing also requires a lot time and energy as it takes time to come up with ideas and presentation to market the many different messages, it also requires a lot of resources to use this method. But investing all the time, money and resources into differentiated marketing can be worth it if done correctly, as the different messages can successfully reach the targeted group of people and successfully motivate the targeted group of people to follow the messages that are being advertised (Ramya & Subasakthi).

Concentrated marketing or niche marketing

Niche marketing is a term used in business that focuses on selling its products and services solely on a specific target market. Despite being attractive for small businesses, niche marketing is highly considered to be a difficult marketing strategy as businesses may need thorough and in-depth research to reach its specific target market in order to succeed.

According to (Caragher, 2008), niche marketing is when a firm/ company focuses on a particular aspect or group of consumers to deliver their product and marketing to. Niche marketing, is also primarily known as concentrated marketing, which means that firms are using all their resources and skills on one particular niche. Niche marketing has become one of the most successful marketing strategies for many firms as it identifies key resources and gives the marketer a specific category to focus on and present information to. This allows companies to have a competitive advantage over other larger firms targeting the same group; as a result, it generates higher profit margins. Smaller firms usually implement this method, so that they are able to concentrate on one particular aspect and give full priority to that segment, which helps them compete with larger firms.

Some specialities of niche marketing help the marketing team determine marketing programs and provide clear and specific establishments for marketing plans and goal setting. According to, (Hamlin, Knight and Cuthbert, 2015), niche marketing is usually when firms react to an existing situation.

There are different ways for firms to identify their niche market, but the most common method applied for finding out a niche is by using a marketing audit. This is where a firm evaluates multiple internal and external factors. Factors applied in the audit identify the company's weaknesses and strengths, company's current client base and current marketing techniques. This would then help determine which marketing approach would best fit their niche.

There are 5 key aspects or steps, which are required to achieve successful niche marketing. 1: develop a marketing plan; 2: focus your marketing program; 3: niche to compete against larger firms; 4: niche based upon expertise; 5: develop niches through mergers.

Develop A Marketing Plan:

Developing a market plan is when a firms marketing team evaluates the firms current condition, what niches the company would want to target and any potential competition. A market plan can consist of elements such as, target market, consumer interests, and resources; it must be specific and key to that group of consumers as that is the speciality of niche marketing.

Focus Your Marketing Program:

Focusing your marketing program is when employees are using marketing tools and skills to best of their abilities to maximise market awareness for the company. Niche marketing is not only used for remaining at a competitive advantage in the industry but is also used as a way to attract more consumers and enlarge their client database. By using these tools and skills the company is then able to implement their strategy consistently.

Niche To Compete Against Larger Firms:

Smaller and medium-sized firms are able to compete against niche marketing, as they are able to focus on one primary niche, which really helps the niche to grow. Smaller firms can focus on finding out their clients problems within their niche and can then provide different marketing to appeal to consumer interest.

Niche Based Upon Expertise:

When new companies are formed, different people bring different forms of experience to the company. This is another form of niche marketing, known as niche based on expertise, where someone with a lot of experience in a specific niche may continue market for that niche as they know that niche will produce positive results for the company.

Developing Niches Through Mergers:

A company may have found their potential niche but are unable to market their product/ service across to the niche. This is where merging industry specialist are utilised. As one company may have the tools and skills to market to the niche and the other may have the skills to gather all the necessary information required to conduct this marketing. According to (Caragher, 2008), niche marketing, if done effectively, can be a very powerful concept.

Overall, niche marketing is a great marketing strategy for firms, mainly small and medium-sized firms, as it is a specific and straightforward marketing approach. Once a firm's niche is identified, a team or marketers can then apply relevant marketing to satisfy that niche's wants and demands.

Niche marketing also closely interlinks with direct marketing as direct marketing can easily be implemented on niches within target markets for a more effective marketing approach.

Direct marketing

Direct marketing is a method which firms are able to market directly to their customers needs and wants, it focuses on consumer spending habits and their potential interests. Firms use direct marketing a communication channel to interact and reach out to their existing consumers (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Direct marketing is done by collecting consumer data through various means. An example is the internet and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Those were a few online methods of which organisations gather their data to know what their consumers like and want allowing organisations to cater to what their target markets wants and their interest (Lund & Marinova, 2014). This method of marketing is becoming increasingly popular as the data allows organisations to come up with more effective promotional strategies and come up with better customize promotional offers that are more accurate to what the customers like, it will also allows organisations to uses their resources more effectively and efficiently and improve customer management relationships. An important tool that organisations use in direct marketing is the RFM model (recency-frequency-monetary value) (Asllani & Halstead, 2015). Despite all the benefits this method can bring, it can be extremely costly which means organisation with low budget constraints would have trouble using this method of marketing..

Online targeting

See also: Online advertising

Digital communications have allowed marketers to segment markets at ever tighter levels - right down to the individual consumer. This process is known as micromarketing, cyber-segmentation or hyper-segmentation. In effect, this allows to the marketer to pursue both a differentiated marketing strategy and a niche marketing strategy to reach the smallest groups in the marketplace.

Hyper-segmentation relies on extensive information technology, big databases, computerized and flexible manufacturing systems, and integrated distribution systems. Data is captured from electronic communications devices, mapped and logged with a management information system. This enables the integration of observed behaviour (domains accessed) with motives (content involvement), geographics (IP addresses), demographics (self-reported registration details) and brand preferences (site-loyalty, site stickiness). Additional data inputs might include behavioural variables such as frequency (site visits), diversity including visitation across different landscapes and fluidity spanning multiple time periods. Programmed business intelligence software analyses this data and in the process, may also source data inputs from other internal information networks. Marketers and advertisers can then use an inventory of stock images and phrases to compile customised promotion offers in real-time which are delivered to prospective purchasers with a strong interest in the product, or who are in an advanced state of buyer-readiness.

With increased availability of electronic scanner data there has been a greater focus on research of micromarketing and pricing problems that retailers encounter. Research in 1995 by Stephen J. Hoch et al. provided empirical evidence for the micromarketing concept. In 1997, Alan Montgomery used hierarchical Bayes models to improve the estimation procedures of price elasticities, showing that micromarketing strategies can increase gross profits.

With the advent of social media, advertising has become a more efficient at reaching relatively small target audiences. People are constantly exposed to advertisements and their content, which is key to its success. In the past, advertisers had tried to build brand names with television and magazines; however, advertisers have been using audience targeting as a new form of medium. The rise of internet users and its wide availability has made this possible for advertisers. Targeting specific audiences has allowed for advertisers to constantly change the content of the advertisements to fit the needs and interests of the individual viewer. The content of different advertisements are presented to each consumer to fit their individual needs.

The first forms of online advertising targeting came with the implementation of the personal email message. The implementation of the internet in the 1990s had created a new advertising medium; until marketers realized that the internet was a multibillion-dollar industry, most advertising was limited or illicit.

Many argue that the largest disadvantage to this new age of advertising is lack of privacy and the lack of transparency between the consumer and the marketers. Much of the information collected is used without the knowledge of the consumer or their consent. Those who oppose online targeting are worried that personal information will be leaked online such as their personal finances, health records, and personal identification information.

Advertisers use three basic steps in order to target a specific audience: data collection, data analysis, and implementation. They use these steps to accurately gather information from different internet users. The data they collect includes information such as the internet user's age, gender, race, and many other contributing factors. Digital communications has given rise to new methods of targeting:

  • Addressable advertising
  • Behavioral targeting
  • Location-based targeting
  • Reverse segmentation (a segment-building approach rather than a segmentation approach)

These methods rely on data collected from consumer-browsing histories and as such, rely on observed behaviour rather than self-reported behaviours. The implication is that data collected is much more reliable, but at the same time attracts concerns about consumer privacy. Many internet users are unaware of the amount of information being taken from them as they browse the internet. They don't know how it is being collected and what it is being used for. Cookies are used, along with other online tracking systems, in order to monitor the internet behaviors of consumers.

Many of these implemented methods have proven to be extremely effective. This has been beneficial for all three parties involved: the advertiser, the producer of the good or service, and the consumer. Those who are opposed of targeting in online advertising are still doubtful of its productivity, often arguing the lack of privacy given to internet users. Many regulations have been in place to combat this issue throughout the United States.

See also

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