Not every prospect is just like you… but it’s your job to predict what they need and when they’ll need it. Not to mention, figuring out how best to reach and influence them with your online advertising. So start putting in the hard work of seeing the world through their eyes… because online advertising success begins with knowing your target audience!

To better profile your target audience:

1. Think about why they buy… and why now. You need to understand your prospect’s purchasing behavior and answer the question: “what are their pain points?” Or said another way, what’s causing the desire for your product and what creates the urgency to buy now?

2. Describe your target customer in as much detail as possible. Create a demographic profile using age, gender, income level, etc. And find out where they live, since targeting your advertising geographically is an efficient and effective way to reach your prospects.

3. Understand what they like and don’t like. Psychographics tries to get at the lifestyles, attitudes, interests, and values of your target audience. It’s definitely worth considering since the Internet has so many great lifestyle and interest-based sites to advertise on.

4. Now determine where and how to reach them with your online advertising. What websites and blogs do they visit? What keywords do your prospects search on when looking for a solution (your service!) to their problems? Create an online advertising strategy based on the in-depth profile you’ve developed for your target audience.

Need more info about your target audience?

Just ask your customers… especially since they are also your best prospects for more business! And listen, listen, listen to what they tell you.

Review purchasing data and look for patterns. For example, where a customer lives gives insight into who they are, why they buy, and where best to advertise online to reach them.

Survey web site visitors. It’s easier than ever to survey using email and web-based forms so definitely give this a try. For example, check out SurveyMonkey to learn more.

Set up a blog or join a community where your customers and prospects hang out so you can hear their issues and create a dialogue (listen closely!)

Search the Internet for information on your industry and target audience. There are lots of sites and blogs out there about your target market. And many provide market data for free.

Conduct focus groups. Focus groups can provide hard to find insight into customer behavior… and they don’t have to be that expensive to do. Just get together with a bunch of customers and then let them do the talking!

And keep listening and learning. Your target audience will evolve…  so will your understanding of who they are and what drives their buying behavior.  So definitely treat listening and learning as an ongoing process.

Just remember, the more you know and understand about your target audience, the easier it’ll be to reach and engage them with your online advertising!

Okay, your website’s up and listed with the online yellow pages… and you’re paying someone to have the search engines (i.e. Google) send lots of visitors to your site. But your phone isn’t ringing. Your site has lots of helpful information so visitors can learn all about you and the wonderful services you offer. But your phone isn’t ringing. And on your homepage, you have pictures of smiling people to make everyone think: “I’ll also be smiling when I use this service”. But your phone still isn’t ringing!

How to use your website to generate phone calls

Your website needs to be good at generating phone call inquiries for your business. Just follow these basic rules to get the phones ringing:

• Make sure your phone number is “above the fold”. Many website visitors won’t realize they have to scroll down on your homepage to find your phone number. Or they won’t stick around long enough to figure it out.

• Display it at the top of your homepage. When seeing a web page, we start at the top and scan from left to right. So display your phone number in the upper left or right of your homepage so prospects can see it right away. Follow this rule for every page of your site.

• Make it twice as big as it is now. You know where your phone number is located on your web pages but your visitors don’t. So however big it is now… it’s probably not big enough. Double its size to make your phone number impossible to miss!

• Show your phone number more than once. Don’t be shy about showing off your phone number. The top and bottom of your web pages are good places. Also, next to your website navigation menu and any special promotions you’re advertising on the site.

• Use a toll-free number. People are more inclined to call if they know if won’t cost them. So make it easy… use a toll-free number! And put “toll-free” next to the number so there’s no doubt when a prospect starts to dial.

That’s it for now… my phone is ringing!