How to Market to People Not Like You: "Know It or Blow It" Rules for Reaching Diverse Customers

Book description

Reach new and diverse customer groups and expand your market share

The standard approach to marketing is to look for as many people as possible who fit one core customer profile. How to Market to People Not Like You challenges this traditional thinking about core customer bases, giving you a new approach to expand your customer base and your business.

Arguing for focusing on customer values rather than demographics, How to Market to People Not Like You reveals how you can grow business and profits by targeting those who are different from your core audience, rather than those who share similarities.

  • Reach unfamiliar new market segments with your products

  • Learn how to engage micro-segmented customer groups

  • Author's company was named one of the top ad agencies in the US by Ad Age

Find out How to Market to People Not Like You, understand the needs and values that distinguish diverse customers, and reach their hearts, minds, and wallets.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. Introduction: You Can't Reach a Customer You Don't Understand
  4. I. Seven Steps for Selling to New and Unfamiliar Customers
    1. 1. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone to Grow Sales
      1. 1.1. "SPRAY AND PRAY" VERSUS BROAD THINKING AND NARROWCASTING
      2. 1.2. TOYOTA TUNDRAS, NIKE, AND iPHONES
      3. 1.3. TAPPING INTO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF NEW CUSTOMERS ALSO MEANS TAPPING INTO THEIR WALLETS
    2. 2. Get to Know the Customer You're Not Getting but Should Be
      1. 2.1. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? BABIES, GIRL SCOUTS, AND AMTRAK
      2. 2.2. GO ONLINE AND READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE GROUP YOU WANT TO TARGET
      3. 2.3. ATTEND EVENTS, MEETINGS, AND GATHERINGS OF YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMER; OBSERVE AND TALK TO ATTENDEES TO FIND OUT WHAT'S ON THEIR MINDS
        1. 2.3.1. Selling Harleys to Women
      4. 2.4. HOW TO RESEARCH A NEW AND UNFAMILIAR CUSTOMER SEGMENT TO FIND THEIR VALUES, TASTES, NEEDS, AND CONCERNS
      5. 2.5. LISTEN TO COMPLAINTS
      6. 2.6. HIRE FROM THE TARGET GROUP, IF POSSIBLE
      7. 2.7. UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY WE RECEIVE INFORMATION SHAPES US ALL
      8. 2.8. HOW TO HIRE A MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CONSULTANT WHO UNDERSTANDS THE TARGET GROUP YOU WANT
    3. 3. What Do They Need?: Tweak Your Product or Service Offerings
      1. 3.1. REAL MEN EAT SALAD
      2. 3.2. SHOP AT SAM'S, GET A LOAN
      3. 3.3. TARGET IN EAST HARLEM
      4. 3.4. NO BIFOCALS FOR ME, THANKS!
      5. 3.5. MOVING MOM AND MAKING IT EASIER
    4. 4. Make Your Sales and Customer Service Friendly: Little Things Make a Big Difference
      1. 4.1. OPERATIONAL READINESS—THE "SECRET SAUCE" IN MARKETING TO PEOPLE NOT LIKE YOU
        1. 4.1.1. Excuse Me, This Bag Doesn't Have a Handle
      2. 4.2. OPERATIONAL FRIENDLINESS
        1. 4.2.1. Friendliness Costs Nothing and Means Everything
      3. 4.3. NEW HOURS, NEW UNIFORM
      4. 4.4. DO THE EASY THINGS FIRST
    5. 5. Communicate in Their "Language": Develop Marketing Messages Based on Their Values
      1. 5.1. TRANSCREATION, NOT TRANSLATION
        1. 5.1.1. When the Phrase in One Language Is Meaningless in Another Language
        2. 5.1.2. When the Phrase in One Language Is Unfamiliar or Confusing in Another Language
        3. 5.1.3. When a Phrase Does Not Have Cultural Relevance in Another Language or Culture
      2. 5.2. TWEAK YOUR MARKETING, ADVERTISING, SIGNAGE, AND WEB SITE IN OTHER LANGUAGES
      3. 5.3. "BUT THIS IS AMERICA—SPEAK ENGLISH!"
    6. 6. Use Technology to Reach Your Prospects: Micro Targeting
      1. 6.1. USING FREE OR INEXPENSIVE ONLINE TOOLS
        1. 6.1.1. 1. Create Your Web Site and Keep It Up to Date
        2. 6.1.2. 2. Create a Database and Maintain It
        3. 6.1.3. 3. E-mail Marketing
        4. 6.1.4. 4. Newsletters
        5. 6.1.5. 5. Link Exchange
        6. 6.1.6. 6. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
        7. 6.1.7. 7. Social Media—It's About People, Not Logos
        8. 6.1.8. 8. Mobile Marketing—It's Versatile, Inexpensive, and Here to Stay
    7. 7. Deal with Naysayers: What If Your Employees or Your Core Audience Don't Like Seeing Their Product Marketed to Other Groups?
      1. 7.1. SUBARU AND DENTISTS
  5. II. Key Customers Who Could Drive Your Business Growth
    1. 8. Different Ages Want Different Things
      1. 8.1. MATURES: BORN BEFORE 1946
        1. 8.1.1. Convenience, Control, and "Like-Mindedness" Rule
      2. 8.2. BABY BOOMERS: BORN 1946-1964
        1. 8.2.1. Retiring Baby Boomers—It's All About Them
      3. 8.3. GEN X: BORN 1965-1981
        1. 8.3.1. Authenticity is Everything
      4. 8.4. GEN Y: BORN 1982-1994
        1. 8.4.1. Good, Fast, and Cheap Experiences
      5. 8.5. GEN Z: BORN 1995-2004
        1. 8.5.1. Digital Natives
    2. 9. Women: Singles, Heads of Household, Working Moms and Stay-at-Home Moms, Home-Schooling, and More
    3. 10. Immigrants: It's About Acculturation, Not Assimilation
      1. 10.1. ACCULTURATION, NOT ASSIMILATION: TARGETING IMMIGRANT GROUPS BY ACCULTURATION
    4. 11. Hispanics/Latinos: North America's Fastest-Growing Ethnic Minority
      1. 11.1. CINCO DE MAYO IS NOT MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY
      2. 11.2. WHY THE U.S. LATINO MARKET IS SUPER CALIENTE
      3. 11.3. THE "SIZE OF THE PRIZE"
      4. 11.4. STEP 1: "LATINO-READY" AND "LATINO-FRIENDLY"— OPERATIONAL READINESS IS EVERYTHING
        1. 11.4.1. Latino-Ready
        2. 11.4.2. Latino-Friendly
      5. 11.5. STEP 2: WHEN TO USE SPANISH IN MARKETING MESSAGES
      6. 11.6. STEP 3: TRANSCREATION, NOT TRANSLATION
      7. 11.7. STEP 4: NEW PRODUCTS, NEW HOURS, NEW UNIFORMS
      8. 11.8. STEP 5: CUSTOMER SERVICE IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON
    5. 12. African-Americans: A Large and Lucrative Customer Base
      1. 12.1. INSIGHT 1: SHOW PEOPLE OF COLOR WHEN TARGETING PEOPLE OF COLOR
      2. 12.2. INSIGHT 2: DIVERSITY IN SKIN TONE IS VERY IMPORTANT
      3. 12.3. INSIGHT 3: DON'T EVEN USE PEOPLE IN ADS AT ALL—LEAVE IT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION
      4. 12.4. INSIGHT 4: KEEP IT REAL
      5. 12.5. INSIGHT 5: YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT "BROWN" TO APPEAL TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS
      6. 12.6. INSIGHT 6: PEOPLE OF COLOR ASPIRE TO MORE THAN JUST SPORTS, MUSIC, AND FASHION
      7. 12.7. INSIGHT 7: GET INVOLVED AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY
      8. 12.8. INSIGHT 8: FOOD, MUSIC, AND SOCIALIZING ARE CENTRAL TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE
      9. 12.9. INSIGHT 9: DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CUSTOMERS
    6. 13. Asians and Asian-Americans: The Highest Household Income of Any Racial or Ethnic Group
      1. 13.1. THE U.S. ASIAN POPULATION
      2. 13.2. STEP 1: EVALUATE THE "SIZE OF THE PRIZE"
      3. 13.3. STEP 2: LEARN ABOUT WHICH SUBSEGMENT REPRESENTS YOUR GREATEST MARKET OPPORTUNITY
      4. 13.4. STEP 3: EXPLORE ASIAN MEDIA OPTIONS
      5. 13.5. STEP 4: MAKE SURE YOU USE QUALIFIED TRANSLATION SERVICES, IF NECESSARY
      6. 13.6. STEP 5: EXPLORE ONLINE/DIGITAL MARKETING
      7. 13.7. STEP 6: EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT KEY CULTURAL ASPECTS OF YOUR TARGET MARKET
      8. 13.8. STEP 7: GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY
  6. III. Other Important Market Segments
    1. 14. Political Views
    2. 15. Sexuality: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered
    3. 16. Hobbies and Special Interests
      1. 16.1. DIRECT MARKETING
      2. 16.2. SPECIAL INTEREST MAGAZINES OR WEB SITES
      3. 16.3. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
      4. 16.4. VENUE MARKETING
      5. 16.5. NICHE MARKETING (RELATIONSHIP MARKETING)
      6. 16.6. ASSOCIATION MARKETING
      7. 16.7. CONNECTORS
    4. 17. Rural versus Metro
      1. 17.1. METRO (URBAN) LIVING
      2. 17.2. RURAL LIVING
    5. 18. Military versus Civilian
    6. 19. Vegetarians versus Meat Eaters
      1. 19.1. REACHING VEGETARIANS
      2. 19.2. REACHING MEAT EATERS
    7. Conclusion

Product information

  • Title: How to Market to People Not Like You: "Know It or Blow It" Rules for Reaching Diverse Customers
  • Author(s): KELLY McDONALD
  • Release date: March 2011
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470879009