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Target Market Selection

Target market represents a group of individuals who have similar needs, perceptions and interests. They show inclination towards similar brands and respond equally to market fluctuations.

Individuals who think on the same lines and have similar preferences form the target audience. Target market includes individuals who have almost similar expectations from the organizations or marketers.

Obese individuals all across the globe look forward to cutting down their calorie intake. Marketers understood their need and came up with Kellogg’s K Special which promises to reduce weight in just two weeks. The target market for Kellogg’s K Special diet would include obese individuals.

Individuals who sweat more would be more interested in buying perfumes and deodorants with a strong and lasting fragrance.

How to select the Target Market ?

It is essential for the organizations or marketers to identify the set of people whom they want to target ?. Marketers must understand the needs and expectations of the individuals to create its target market.

The target audience must have similar needs, interests and expectations.

Similar products and brands should entice the individuals comprising the target market.

Same taglines and advertisements attract the attention of the target audience and prompt them to buy.

To select a target market, it is essential for the organizations to study the following factors:

  • Understand the lifestyle of the consumers
  • Age group of the individuals
  • Income of the consumers
  • Spending capacity of the consumers
  • Education and Profession of the people
  • Gender
  • Mentality and thought process of the consumers
  • Social Status
  • Kind of environment individuals are exposed to
Target Market

Always remember you would never be successful if you try to impress everyone. Be specific.

Identify individuals who show similar characteristics. Put them in one group to create target market within a broad market.

Let us go through the below example:

Why do people use soaps ?

Some would use it against body odour
Some would use it to fight germs and infections
Some for a fair and spotless skin

In the above case the product is same but the needs of the individuals are different. Consumers have different reasons as to why they use soaps.

Target Audience 1

Against body odour - Soaps with a strong and lasting fragrance.

  • Marketing professionals
  • Sales Representatives
  • People exposed to sun for a longer duration
  • Individuals travelling by public transport

Target Audience 2

To fight germs and infections - Soaps with medicinal properties

  • Individuals working in hospitals, nursing homes and research centres
  • Individuals working in unhygienic conditions

Target Audience 3

For a whiter skin - Soaps which improve the skin tone of individuals.

  • Teenagers
  • College students

Target Audience 4

For a younger looking skin - Soaps which help get rid of wrinkles and fine lines of ageing

  • Individuals between age group 30 – 50 years or above

Individuals with identical requirements form the target audience. A 20 year old girl can’t be targeted along with someone who is 50 years old.

Online matrimony sites target young individuals aspiring to get married. The organizations strive hard to fulfil their expectations by providing suitable matches.

Other important factors like climatic conditions and geographical locations also play an important role in deciding the target market.

Deodorants and perfumes sell like hot cakes in humid and warm places.

Target Market for Beverages

    Bournvita, Complan, Maltova, Boost - Growing kids
    Soft drinks (Pepsi, Coke) - Teenagers
    Fruit Juice (Real, Tropicana) - Health conscious individuals
    Energy Drinks(Red bull) - Professionals, Office goers


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Market Segmentation