For marketing to be effective, a business must focus on customer targeting techniques. This isn’t a new concept, but why is it important? Consumers don’t want companies to make broad assumptions and treat them like the masses. Instead, they expect brands to make an effort to understand them and speak to them in unique and meaningful ways. Target market analysis helps businesses refine their approach by identifying specific customer needs. Ideally, we want consumers to feel that we genuinely understand them and are making an effort to connect authentically.
How Customer Targeting Techniques Have Evolved
Traditional marketing relied heavily on demographic data—age, gender, income, and location. While these factors still matter, today’s consumers expect brands to go beyond basic segmentation. They want personalized experiences tailored to their behaviors, preferences, and values.
This shift means businesses must refine their customer segmentation strategies by considering factors such as:
- Psychographics – What are their interests, values, and lifestyle habits?
- Behavioral Insights – How do they interact with your brand online and offline?
- Pain Points – What challenges do they face that your product or service can solve?
- Preferred Channels – Where do they engage the most? Social media, email, or search engines?
By combining these elements, businesses can craft targeted messaging that feels more personal and relevant.
Calculating… Targeting Refined
So how should businesses adjust their approach? When done correctly, customer targeting techniques make consumers feel like valued individuals—not just a number in a database. The key lies in understanding how to reach your target market by analyzing not only who they are but why they make purchasing decisions.
For example, imagine you’re launching a new line of kitchen knives. A basic targeting strategy might focus on:
- Age demographic – Independent adults, ages 25-50
- Location – Urban areas with high interest in cooking
- Income – Mid-to-high earners who invest in quality kitchenware
While these details provide a starting point, digging deeper reveals greater opportunities:
- Why do they need sharp cutlery? Maybe they value efficiency in food prep.
- What are their cooking habits? Do they meal prep, or are they home chefs?
- What complementary products might interest them? Cutting boards, sharpeners, or specialty knives.
Now, you’re not just selling knives—you’re offering a solution to make cooking easier, faster, and more enjoyable. This is the power of refined targeting.
Adjust Your Aim Like Scotts Did
Scotts Miracle-Gro’s Targeted Strategy
- Male
- Homeowner
- Limited product knowledge *
- 27 – 35 years old
- Earning $50,000+ per year
- Sports enthusiast
When retailers reviewed their 2016 earnings reports, many panicked, struggling to determine how to continue reaching their target audiences effectively. Some brands blamed millennials for shifting consumer trends rather than adapting to them.
But Scotts Miracle-Gro took a different approach. Since 2006, Scotts’ annual revenue had consistently surpassed $2.6 million, except for a slight dip between 2014-2016. Instead of abandoning their strategy, they refined their customer targeting techniques.
By conducting target market analysis, they asked:
- Are all our criteria for our target market still relevant? (Yes, except for age.)
- How are 27-year-olds different now than they were 10 years ago? (Many didn’t grow up with an emphasis on lawn care.)
Through this process, they realized one key challenge: Millennials lacked product knowledge. Instead of assuming this audience wouldn’t be interested in lawn care, they adapted by offering educational content. Scotts added:
✅ Instructional videos on lawn care basics
✅ A mulch calculator for easy product selection
✅ A beginner-friendly approach to gardening products
The results? A record-high revenue of $3.15 million in 2019—proving that refined customer segmentation strategies can have a massive impact.
Data-Driven Customer Marketing Techniques
Today, businesses have access to more consumer data than ever before. Leveraging analytics and AI-driven insights can significantly improve how to reach your target market.
Ways to Use Data for Smarter Targeting:
✅ Website Analytics – Track page visits, time spent on content, and bounce rates to see what interests your audience.
✅ Social Listening – Monitor brand mentions, comments, and trending discussions to understand customer sentiments.
✅ Customer Feedback – Surveys and reviews reveal pain points and desired product improvements.
✅ AI and Machine Learning – Predictive analytics help identify purchasing patterns and optimize messaging.
By consistently analyzing data, businesses can ensure they adapt their targeting techniques as consumer behavior evolves.
The Target May Stay the Same, But the Approach Must Evolve
Your target audience may not change, but the way you engage with them must evolve. Skilled marksmen adjust for wind conditions, just as a sailor navigates shifting tides. In marketing, these “winds” are changing customer behaviors, new technologies, and shifting market trends.
By refining how to reach your target market, businesses can:
✔ Deliver more relevant messaging that resonates with their audience
✔ Build deeper emotional connections that drive loyalty
✔ Increase engagement and conversions through personalized strategies
Your consumers are people, and people change. Successful brands don’t just acknowledge these changes—they adapt and connect in meaningful ways.