Do You Adjust for Your Target?
Yesterday, I was watching TV and a snow tire commercial came on. The guy was talking about how here in Vancouver (we are in a pretty temperate climate) we don’t have to battle the snow other parts of the country do and usually are just dealing with rain. Still, he suggested that we need snow tires because even at 7 C (44.6 F), tires begin to harden and lose traction.
So, here I am sitting there watching this guy and we’re actually in the middle of the biggest snow storm since the 1960s. There are FEET (or a metre or so, if you prefer 
) of snow outside my house (that’s my poor car buried in snow on Christmas Eve). We also have experienced the lowest temperatures since about 1950. Although it’s a bit “warmer” now, we did get as low as -15 C (5 F) which I’ve never experienced in my life. BRRRRRR!
Now I realize this is a local company with a limited advertising funds and maybe they couldn’t afford to create a new commercial. But since the commercial was fairly low budget, you’d think they would have fixed things up to reach their new target -> people flabbergasted by this completely crazy weather.
As online business owners, it’s easy for us to change and adapt. We can change ad text, have edits done to graphics, rerecords audio – whatever it takes to keep our target market in mind.
Now, I don’t doubt this tire commercial probably produced SOME results because after all, people around here DO need snow tires – but imagine what would have happened if the commercial spoke directly to our pain?
So what about you? Do you adjust to reach your target or just let things run their course?
About: Alice Seba
Alice Seba earns a full-time online income as an entrepreneur and loves to help others achieve the same. With a focus on using content to create relationships, loyalty and results from the written word, she co-owns both a ghostwriting service and a private label content business. To get more tips for your content marketing, visit Contentrix.com - your free resource with plenty of tips and strategies.Freebies
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Debra Conrad
This is why having evergreen “targets” is so great. I may not be on the cutting edge of some brand new markets… but I don’t have much for the cutting room floor either.
About all that snow! I was just 2+ hours away from Alice last week… and I’ve already told her “I will never visit this area in the Winter again”. I live in Arizona… where we are wearing shorts in the daytime this week.
Good luck with all that snow…
Alice Seba
And exactly why my parents are trying to head down your way – as soon as the mountain passes clear up a bit. Watch out! A convoy of retired Vancouverites are coming your way.
That’s a good point about “evergreen” markets – and really, you’d think selling tires in a specific city would be pretty much evergreen (except advancements in technology).
The thing is, I think all markets can change…and even in your case, styles change too. But if you’re in tune with your market and your area of expertise (which you are), it’s often a natural change that you barely notice you’re working through.
Lindsay
Hah, we had a bunch of that snow down here in Seattle too. I have all weather tires and an SUV and got along just fine, but then I used to live in Spokane where you’d be nuts not to have better than factory tires.
But, anyway… I recently did a post I loved but that got a negative response from some readers, so I took it down. In reflection, it just wasn’t what my target audience was there for, so it probably wasn’t a good match for my blog.
I do think it’s important to listen to your audience and deliver what they want (and come to expect), if you want them to stick around anyway!