MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE LOCALLY?
FREE DEMOGRAPHIC INFO IS AVAILABLE.
Plus: Extra Help When You Need It!
Step One: Closely identify and define your Ideal Client. Know his/her income level (and disposable income threshold) and the pain/problem/predicament that you can resolve for him/her. Study your perfect prospects until you feel you’re living in their skin, facing the predicaments they’re facing, living the lives they’re living. When (and only when) you have this piece of the puzzle well in hand should you take the next step. The more information you can provide about your Ideal Client, the easier the rest of this journey will be.
Step Two: Call your local library and/or planning department
Step Three: Ask them for the free local demographic information that they have available for the people in the zip code(s) that you want to serve (your Ideal Client, which you’ve identified above). (Note: Many cities publish basic demographic profiles by voting district.)
Other (Not Free, Variously Affordable) Options: If you’re using a professional mailing service with a printer who’s local to the area where you’ll be marketing your services, they should have demographic information about the people in their own and nearby zip codes. These printers often work with list brokers, people who develop lists that target their clients’ Ideal Client. A list broker sorts and resells lists from various publications and organizations.
But when choosing a list broker, take pains to find a reputable one. (Anyone can hang a shingle and declare him- or herself a list broker.) A good list broker should have some verifiable history to show and the results to prove it: lists he or she has developed that worked well (with proof from their clients that it was a winner). He or she should also know how to get the best deal and where to find the best list for your specific needs. So again, the main challenge, if you go this route, is finding a good broker. Ask to see testimonials and to speak to at least three satisfied clients. Pick their brains when you talk to them to make sure they aren’t shills. (It’s sad that you should have to do this, but it may well save you headaches and money later.)
You can also enlist a marketing research company to do your Ideal Client research, build your list, and create a professional plan to reach out to your perfect clients.
Just make sure you can express your marketing goals to whomever it is you hire. Let him or her know what you plan to send during your campaign and as much detail about your Ideal Client as you’ve been able to discover about them.
