Why Is Audience Segmentation Important

by | Oct 25, 2012 | Sales & Content Basics

3Audience segmentation, also called market segmentation, is an important aspect of creating an effective sales or marketing strategy.  Most basically, it is about finding better customers.  In past decades, marketing has generally been directed at mass audiences, sending the same message to all potential customers.  Audience segmentation works to divide your target audience into groups that have similar interests or buying behavior.

By dividing your audience into segments and crafting marketing messages targeted to each segment, you are able to reach each customer with marketing that is relevant to him or her.  If your potential customer feels that your message is not relevant to them, you will most likely be ignored.

Segmentation also helps you build a better relationship with your potential customers because people are more likely to respond positively to messages they feel are directed to them personally.  The more targeted your message, the more likely it becomes that your customer will engage with you.

With time, segmenting can also help you uncover potential market opportunities you might have otherwise missed, allowing you to create products and services better tailored around the specific needs and interests of your various customer segments.

What this means is that in today’s world, sending out a generic or mass message is no longer worth your time and could even end up costing you business. When you send out a mass-message that a customer has zero interest in, not only will you be ignored, but your customer may also see you as incompetent or uncaring.

What you want to do instead is give your customers information that is directly relevant to their personal needs and known buying behavior.  If you do this correctly, audience segmentation can yield a substantial increase in response and engagement and, consequently, rates of conversion.

The most crucial aspect of implementing b2b marketing audience segmentation effectively is coming to understand what types of information each segment likes to consume and how each segment likes to consume it.  With this information, you can create and target messages using the forms of media most in line with a segment’s purchasing behavior.  For instance, if you know that a particular segment likes their content via videos, you’ll want to provide them links to your YouTube channel.  Similarly, if you know an audience segment prefers to read text, you send them text in the form of emails, blogs or white papers.

The overall goal of audience or market segmentation is to avoid sending irrelevant messages to unreceptive customers.  By understanding that different people (and different businesses) have different needs and media-consumption preferences, you can set up a marketing strategy that operates more efficiently and much more effectively.

 

EBOOK: THE DIGITAL-FIRST SALES TRANSFORMATION

Learn Why and How to Increase Your Sales Funnel by 451%.
Download Now

WATCH NOW: THE DIGITAL FIRST TRANSFORMATION AND SALES AUTOMATION TRAINING SEMINAR

Learn how to sell more effectively to the Modern B2B buyer in this FREE and comprehensive four-part educational seminar.
Watch Now

SCHEDULE FREE CONSULTATION WITH A TURNKEY DIGITAL DEMAND GEN SPECIALIST

Schedule Time with a Demand Gen, Lead Nurturing, Automation and Sales Engine Specialist to discover if Gabriel Sales and/or DDC™ can transform your operations to provide your sales team with a sustained flow of well-educated buyers.
Schedule Now

Marketing-Automation-Checklist-Cover

Free Download: Step-by-Step Marketing Automation Implementation Checklist

Get it right the first time! Maximize your initial Salesforce and Account Engagement
implementation with this step by guide to organize and streamline you initial build.
Download Now