How to profile customers for online engagements
Every business has come to the clear understanding that its customers are active online. Over three billion people have access to Internet. They are interacting with their social networks of friends on various online platforms. They are sharing billions of contents about who they are, what they love and do, where they eat, what they think and how they spend their money.
They spend billions of minutes online sharing their personal and public interactions on social media platforms. This has created a superspeed highway of content-traffic within the virtual world and has attracted many businesses to be part of this phenomenon.
However, businesses cannot tap into this rich culture of virtual convergence if they do not follow the right procedure.
The marketing appeal alone of this ‘virtual marketplace’ which imitates the behavioral patterns of consumers is not enough to lure every business to position itself there. Businesses need to rigorously and meticulously profile their target customers in order to know how to tap into this rich virtual marketplace to engage their customers and make profit, cost-effectively.
How to profile your customers online using GDP Model
The GDP Model (writer’s model) of profiling customers online makes it easy for businesses to effectively define who their target customers are and how they can find them online. The three elements of the Model are Geographic Profile, Demographic Profile and Psychographic Profile.
1. Geographic Profile: Knowing where they are
Obviously, most businesses know the geography of their target market because of where they are set up and who their local target customers are. In distribution of target markets has become complex, and virtual as well.
Customers are scattered, virtually. Businesses can now reach their customers online irrespective of their geographical locations. This is what I call “virtual geography”. Customers are now living in two geographical worlds: actual and virtual geographies. Actual geography is the physical locations of the customers within conventionally defined governance, legal, cultural and political parameters.
It can be a country, region, city, village, town or society. Businesses can engage these customers directly using traditional media or through inshop interactions, as well.
On the other hand, virtual geography is the distribution of customers within various actual geographical areas accessible via online platforms (or Internet). This is possible because of the mobility of customers, convergence of cultures and the preferences of various customers located in different physical geographical areas.
Businesses can reach these customers through the power of Internet connectivity. The customers who basically live their lives online are the targets of the businesses, who believe their customers are reachable via the Internet, irrespective of their physical geographical locations.
Businesses must therefore know where their target customers are located so they can reach them using online platforms.
2. Demographic Profile:Understanding who they are
Since businesses solve problems for profit, it is not enough to know where your customers live. Businesses must understand which people have the problems, first of all. Understanding the people who want to buy the solution (product or service) is critical to the survival of the business and redefines the target customers. Every business interested in engaging their customers online must have a demographic profile of their target customers. It is important they classify their customers by their age group, gender, education, nationality, income level and religion. There are other parameters for profiling customer’s demography. Businesses must apply the ones that are appropriate in differentiating their target customers.
The use of online platforms has direct or indirect connection with the demographic profile of the target customers. Educated people with disposable income can afford technology gadgets, mobile devices and Internet connectivity. younger age groups will have the interest and passion to use technology to stay in touch with their friends and family.
Gender also defines the tools and technologies customers use to engage themselves. Women will use some platforms which men will not use. Likewise younger people will interact on different platforms the older people will not use.
Business must be able to clearly profile their targets using the right criteria to know these details.
3. Psychographic Profile: Defining how they live
Clearly, knowing the lifestyles of the target customers underpins finding the right technology to use. Businesses cannot assume that because people are interested or need their products means they will buy the products online or engage with their businesses on various online platforms. They must find out how their customers live and socialise.
Psychographic profiling involves knowing the interests, preferences, values and opinions of the target group of people. This is where their personalities are revealed to the business. It guides the business in knowing how they engage them.
Their use of technology and preference for particular platforms are determined by their interests and values. They have opinions which they want to express on social media or other online platforms within their network of friends and communities.
Any business that does not know how its customers live their lives will find it difficult engaging them online.
Buying of products or services is not an adequate profiling criteria for customers who are interacting online.
Businesses must go further to probe their psychographic profiles in order to know their values and interests. Basically, knowing what guides their lifestyles.
Conclusion
Businesses interested in engaging their customers online must use the GDP Model to profile their target customers to know where they are, understand who they are and now how they live. Creating an online presence without profiling your target customers will result in the wasting of time, money and resources. — GB
Writer is digital marketing strategist, social media expert and technology instructor. WhatsApp: 0264887887