Originally posted on Compass Consulting & Solutions – Paul Nottingham
Most folks have heard the tale of William Tell, the 14th Century, European Archer who was made famous for a particular shot he made where he shot an apple off of a man’s head. Without a lot of practice and a bit of luck, most of us would never try that shot, and even after a lot of practice may not want to take the shot even then.
If you are marketing your business, you are essentially taking a “shot” at potential target audience/customers in the hopes that your marketing connects in some way to entice them to your business or product. Alas, many businesses small and some larger seem to fling arrows in what appears to be a haphazard way, that does not resonate with many folks, leaving them scratching their heads as to what the ad really was trying to accomplish.
Take for example this ad from a national sandwich chain, that featured these mutant rodents that were singing and playing musical instruments while singing (and I use the term very loosely here) and they were truly just very disturbing images that really had no context toward, for or about the product line as it was scrolling in the background. The disturbing images, and inane singing did nothing to promote the image of the product, or its brand. 
If anything, a person could make a connection that would say the product may have been made from the mutant rodents which in no way would help them sell the product. Using humor in advertising, as in training can be a powerful tool if applied correctly and in moderation. But if used incorrectly, can actually detract from message and create confusion as seen here.
Targeting your demographic should involve some very thorough and careful research, and good understanding of your Unique value proposition in order to do the following:
- Present your product or service in a simple way.
- Clearly establish your value compared to your immediate competition.
- Give the target customer a WIIFM reason that hits a majority of the audience
- Portray a consistent, quality message every time.
If your message does these things, whether it be in print, social or electronic media, you should see consistent results. IF your message does not provide these things, you are more than likely going to miss your target audience, your sales goals, and your profitability needs as well. And the lesson you must take from this exercise is this: if you are consistently missing your targets, it is time to look at the Archer and not just the Arrows.