Targeting Guide #4

Targeting is as much exclusionary as it is inclusionary.

Associated Quote:  I know when our businesses have done a good job of market segmentation and targeting when they can tell me who we should not sell to.  Dr. Charles Lillis, former CEO of MediaOne

By identifying the target end-users to whom you are going to direct your marketing efforts, you are consciously making the decision who you are not going after.  The unique brand benefit that you specify in the positioning step of marketing strategy development motivates your target customers to consider your brand.  It’s unlikely that your unique brand benefit would motivate end-users who are not members of your target segment.

Most marketing people sometimes have difficulty in following this marketing guide.  I’ve seen marketers who do have a segmentation scheme, but they target all of the segments identified in the scheme with a single brand.  This is not targeting; it is mass marketing.