3.15 Targeting

Once a firm has identified distinct consumer segments, the next question is:  How should it target each of these separate groups?  

Effective targeting approaches are often crafted by starting with the needs and interests of the targeted group in mind.  What sorts of things do they care about?  What are their frustrations and fears?  

Marketing targeting efforts can involve things like rebates, coupons, and special deals.  Alternatively, they can simply be a matter of emphasizing particular amenities to specific clusters (for instance, including images of the wave pool and waterslide in marketing emails sent to customers who enjoy the water amenities).  

Targeting could be achieved with geographic focus.  As we saw in the k-means clustering visualizations, the Golden Age Globetrotters were heavily concentrated in York County.  That could be essential information for a marketer trying to reach this group – someone marketing cruises, tours, and other travel packages geared towards seniors might consider purchasing billboards and other display ads in York County.