TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE:

Every business needs brand evangelists. As a business owner, it’s imperative to court the right crowd. Learn to effectively identify your target market (and ensure your aim is true) – and then speak so you’ll be heard. See the articles below to learn more about targeting your audience:

• OPEN Insight Guide: Assessing Customer Profitability
  
• To be successful, you must provide value to your customers, but the reverse is also true- your customers must provide value to you. Understanding customer profitabilty – i.e. which customers generate profit for you and which customers may actually be costing you money – can be critical to the long term success of your business.
  
  
• OPEN Book: A Practical Guide to Business Growth Online Marketing
  
• Online marketing creates opportunities to reach new customers in new markets. Here you’ll find the know-how and inspiration to make the most of it.
  
  
• Case Study: Building a Distinctive Brand
  
• Whether you are a fledging startup or a large multinational company, creating a distinctive brand can help you stand apart from your competition. Successfully building your brand means more effective business development and enhanced ongoing relationships with your customers. Read how one business owner created a unique, sustainable brand to carve out a niche in the highly competitive beverage industry.
  
  
• (4) 5x7 Business Profile Cards to accompany the Case Study
  
  
• Article: 10 Cheap Ways to Build Your Brand
  
• Many entrepreneurs assume branding is expensive. But reinforcing your brand doesn’t need to cost a lot. Learn 10 easy, inexpensive ways you can boost your brand.
  
  
• Article: Competition Beware
  
• As a business owner, your greatest achievement lies in trumping the competition in order to expand sales. Expand upon the 7 ways to give your company a leg up: know your enemy, market your specialty, tackle new audiences, offer more value, add a sales channel, tune into your customers and ask for the business.
  
  
• Article: Brand Values
  
• Once you’ve developed the best possible product, how do you turn your offering into a successful brand? Branding is not simply your visual identity, the execution of logo and design; it is much more than that. Effective branding will drive growth, increase sales and assist in attracting and retaining cutomers.