Why aren’t there ads for Tatoo & Piercing Parlors in Better Homes & Gardens?

When’s the last time you really studied your marketing budget and where your advertising dollars are being spent? I’ve been doing some work recently on a media plan for one of our clients and we’ve really been focused on knowing their customers, and paying attention to where their customers shop and how they buy. Its important to know your client – because when it comes to spending your advertising dollars – the absolute worst strategy is to put an ad in all the local papers, and local publications, and hope you get some traction. It’s the equivalent of taking all the money – throwing it up in the sky and hoping it lands somewhere effective.

But that is truly what I see a lot of clients doing. I think there is this common misconception that if you really narrow your target market down – to a very specific defined group – you may miss out on other potential clients. So the thought is to advertise “everywhere” and get anyone and everyone to buy your product or service. You say “yes” to local papers, you say “yes” to the person selling ads on the back of bathroom stalls, you say “yes” to the greasy spoon who run ads on their placemats, you say “yes” to the billboard and “yes” to the radio spot on Christian radio… and then your advertising dollars run out – you say “no” to everyone from then on, until the next year’s budget rolls around and you have dollars to work with again. It’s the first-come-first-serve approach to marketing – and good marketing strategy doesn’t work that way.

If you’re a hunting supplier – your target market is men, and it drills down from there. Your target market makes X amount of dollars per  year in income, they enjoy X type activities, they have X marital status, and they work X types of jobs.  You need to know your target market that well.  Are there men who buy your products who don’t fit that mold? Yep. Are there women who hunt and need your supplies? Yep. But here comes the rub… they aren’t your TARGET market. So you do NOT spend your advertising dollars to try to attract them. I know – its hard to say “no” to running ads here and there – it just seems like something will stick… but that just isn’t the case. Make your dollars WORK for you. Every dollar is pointed at a prime buyer. Trust me – the fringe customers – the ones who don’t fit your target – they will find you! Only spend your dollars where your Target Demographic is looking! That's why you'll never see a tatoo parlor advertising in Better Homes & Gardens - even though some people who have tatoos read the magazine....