Your target market is probably the most important decision you will make for your business. The problem is most businesses make this decision last and it can be a major reason for their failure.

The wrong way to find your target market

Most business owners create a product they think is wonderful and then worry about who will buy it. They try to force a product on the public rather than simply finding something the market wants. If you focus on what the market wants life becomes a whole lot easier.

However, since most people reading this are already in business let's see what we can do about it.

Choosing your target market

If you already have a product or service you need to ask yourself:

1. Who wants this product?
2. How much do they want it? (Do they have a real burning desire?)
3. Are they willing and able to buy it?

Want you obviously want are a market with a strong desire to purchase your product.

When a target market is not targeted

The biggest mistake business owners make is saying "My product is useful to everyone." And so their target market includes everyone of any sex aged 18 to 108. The problem with targeting everyone is you end up selling to no-one.

Messages that appeal to an 18 year old are not going to appeal strongly - if at all - to a 40 year old. Messages for women can be ignored by men and vice versa. So by trying to keep everyone happy you end up reaching no-one.

How to target your market

To effectively target your market you need to first decide who they are. The tighter your definition the better results you'll have.

Then you have to find them. Different markets read different magazines, watch different tv programs and hang out in different places. You need to get in touch with your market in the way they prefer.

Finally you need to align your message to appeal to them. A different message about face cream will appeal to 24 year old women than 28 year old women. And that small difference could be spell success or disaster for your business.

What you do next

Work out who your market is, how you're going to reach them, and what your message is. Dan Kennedy - the legendary direct response marketer - calls this finding you market, media, and message. Your business raises its chances of success considerably by discovering how to effectively target your market.