Have you ever received a sales letter or marketing piece that didn't speak to you at all?

What about receiving a communication that addressed you as 'madam', when in fact you are a chap? (... and vice versa)

One of the biggest secrets of getting a better response and a higher ROI (Return On Investment) for your marketing messages is to ensure you 'BEST FIT' the communication to the differing segments within your list.

Say if you've 500 people in your customer list, 25% of them happen to be women, would you necessarily send out the SAME marketing piece to EVERYONE on the list?

Most marketers of products and services... DO EXACTLY THAT! ... BIG MISTAKE...

Breaking a list into its various segments, sub-segments, splinter groups, and carefully targeting the message to each of those groups will ensure that everyone is spoken to... specifically and... personally.

Let's say that 35% of your list is politically aware and have an affiliation to one or other of the particular parties.

Having a 'dig' at the opposition party in the mailing, website, promotion, etc, will more likely keep your people locked in and attentive to what you have to say, than if you didn't include that piece of vital information.

Of course, be sure NOT to send the same mailing piece to everyone on your list!

What are the other important characteristics of a customer group, that could then be split from the whole and separate marketing messages sent to perfectly matched to their desires?

How about breaking the list into:

• Gender
• Income of Customer
• Geography (Country, Postcode etc.)
• Amount a Customer Spends (top buyers, inner circle etc.)
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Most Burning Concerns and Fears

The vital question to take from this article is to ask yourself... "How Best Can I Divide Up My Own Customers So I Can Communicate To Those Specific Groups With More Targeted Messages".

Happy Slicing and Dicing.

Copyright 2005 Nick James

Submitted by: Nick James Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of £1 Million of products and sevices. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.