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The following represents the Success Doctor™'s Market Targeting Model (a format to follow when targeting an audience, or while engaged in any targeting activity). It's in the form of three concentric circles, like a bull's-eye, as follows:

 

How it Works

Applying the targeting model is simple. Each circle represents a different level in the targeting process -- the center being the first and so on. The bull's-eye, the center, which is your "perfect customer" or "core product" (actual benefits or results your product delivers), should be your main aim at all times.

The second level are things that are related to your perfect customer or core product. The third level, while not related, are things that are oriented towards your perfect customer or core product. As the adage goes, "fish where the fish swim." Find places, events or publications that meet any of the three.
 

• The Center (Bull's-Eye): It's what pertains directly to your target market or core product (your core product being the main benefit or result you offer, and not just the product itself). In other words, it's anything that meets your perfect customer profile (and does so immediately and as specifically as possible). Things like demographics, psychographics and geographics are included (such as age, marital status, income level, location of residence or work, hobbies, product benefits, job position, history and industry, brand names, activities, product uses, extended features or services, etc).
  
   

• The Second Tier (Middle Layer): It's what pertains indirectly to your target market or core product. Stated differently, it's anything that relates to or logically fits in your perfect customer profile (but is not connected to it). This includes things such as direct competitors, complementary products, ancillary products, additional (yet indirect) benefits (such as other uses for your product beyond the norm or common), common threads among one or more segments of your demographics, related industries, etc.
  
   

• The Third Tier (Outside Layer):  It's what does not pertain at all to your target market or core product but somehow meets any of its elements in some way or another. In other words, it's anything totally unrelated to your perfect customer profile but matches or is oriented towards any of its areas. Examples are unrelated industries with which your customer is associated, other businesses patronized by your customer, other products your perfect customer has consumed, indirect competitors (i.e., different products or benefits that either replace or supercede yours), unsought benefits your customer might enjoy and benefits of other, non-competing products.
   

An Example

Here's a real-life example. Let's say you're in the computer sales business. Your perfect customer is a person aged between 20 and 35, earning around $30,000, living in the eastern part of the United States and working in the information field (e.g., accounting, high tech, engineering, architecture, etc).

The center or bull's-eye would be to target that perfect customer as specifically as possible. Computer-related magazines, shows, websites, tradeshows, ezines and directories, among other types of media, should be first on the agenda -- wherever your perfect customer is targeted, based on the qualities and characteristics of your product or customer, should be your first goal.

The second tier are areas that are indirectly related to your perfect customer or product. Your goal would then be to target markets that are similar to your own or somehow logically fit into your target market as well -- in short, other related publications, businesses or areas that target your perfect customer too.

Areas include software magazines, trade publications, technology websites, industry associations, non-competing businesses, etc. An example would be other websites selling computer peripherals or software your perfect customer would need or enjoy, such as an accounting software package.

The third and final tier consist of totally unrelated areas that target your perfect customer (or any one of its characteristics). Let's say, through some research, you found that a large percentage of your target market are coffee drinkers. Then areas you would seek are, for example, coffee-related websites, specialty coffee magazines, coffee product stores (e.g., coffee maker companies, mugs, espresso machines, etc), restaurants, books on coffee and so on.

More In-Depth Examples

To illustrate how the targeting model is applied, read Mike's answer to one of his subscriber's questions at http://SuccessDoctor.com/question12.htm. If you have a question, contact Mike at http://SuccessDoctor.com/contact.htm. Questions are selected on the basis of originality and universality (it must appeal to as large of an audience as possible). If selected, your question will be published in a future installment of Mike's newsletter or on his website.

About the Author

Michel Fortin, of http://SuccessDoctor.com/, is a marketing professor and a highly sought-after consultant whose advice has helped countless clients earn millions in record time. His latest book, "Power Positioning Dot Com," reveals how to keep your business or product indelibly carved into your prospects' uppermost consciousness at all times -- see http://successdoctor.com/pp/.

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