How to Market to People Who are Not Like You

At the recent Potato Expo in Orlando, one of the speakers was Kelly McDonald a nationally recognized marketing expert with specialization in multi-cultural marketing and business trends.
McDonald shares the importance in marketing to consumers is recognizing the vast diversity which comes in many forms: gender, race, age, life stage, hobbies or special interests are just a few.
McDonald: “There are differences between consumers and we don’t all want to take in information in the same way or we don’t respond to all the same way. Women liked to do more research online. Men like to have fewer choices than women. Men like to have the choices narrowed to three and women like to see all the choices. Obviously technology plays a role with younger consumers. Playing into those preferences is really important too.”
McDonald says it is critical to determine what is important to your target market and focus on that.
McDonald: “I think the first strategy is to be relevant. I talk a lot about that because I think a lot of marketers make the mistake of just putting a message out there that seems relevant to them because they are sort of marketing to themselves. This is what our brand position — Does the consumer care about that? So I think it starts with understanding the values of the person you are trying to sell to. If what they value is fresh, local and organic — then talk about that. If what they value is corporate responsibility - then talk about that. If what they value is price then talk about the value of your product. Market to what they care about, not about what you THINK they care about. Don’t guess.”