marketing

How Demographic Data Can Boost Your Business Marketing Efforts

demographic data

Turn on network television any given Tuesday afternoon and, in between reruns of Matlock and Magnum, P.I., you’ll see commercials for life insurance and arthritis medications.

Turn on that same television during Saturday morning cartoons, and the commercials are all for sugary cereals and the latest must-have toys.

Why? Demographics, of course.

Most people watching ’80s television shows on a weekday afternoon are probably “of a certain age.” And the kids watching SpongeBob on Saturday morning can definitely be counted on to beg their parents for that cereal the next time they walk in the supermarket. The network knows this because they have studied the demographic data on their target audiences.

And you should be doing that, too.

What IS Demographic Data?

Demographic data provides a deeper level of information about people who buy your products and services. It tells you who they are, where they live, and how much money they make.

Some examples of demographics include:

  • Age
  • Race
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Family status
  • Income level
  • Education
  • Occupation

Once you know these things, it’s easier to target your marketing strategy. For instance, if your customers are predominantly wealthy, retired lawyers, you’re not going to waste a ton of time or marketing dollars going after the college kids who live five to an apartment and work at Burger King to finance their ramen habit.

How Can Demographic Data Help Your Business Marketing?

Not everyone wants or needs your products and services, no matter how good they might be. Demographic data helps you understand the type of people who are already engaging with your business so that you can find more people like them.

It can also help you improve your company’s voice and image. If you designed your brand with one demographic in mind but learned that you’re more popular with an entirely different demographic, rebranding based on what you know now could bring in a whole new audience.

Demographic data allows you to make informed decisions about how you market and who you’re marketing to. For example:

  • Age can help you determine who needs your products and services. An 18-year-old isn’t likely to purchase a life insurance policy; a 30-year-old who is contemplating starting a family is.
  • Income level shows you who can afford your price points. If you sell luxury cars, you’re not going to target those who earn minimum wage.
  • Location allows you to target different segments of your audience at different times based on where they live. Knowing that a certain client lives in a different time zone saves you from making a sales call too early or too late.
  • Occupation gives you insight into what sort of product or service might interest a potential customer. A CIO might be very interested in your business-to-business pitch for a revolutionary software solution; the stay-at-home mom selling homemade soap and candles out of her garage probably won’t be too excited about it.
  • Family status tells you a lot. Are they single? They’re more likely to prioritize luxury and personal spending. Married with children? You can play to the family angle. Married without children? A dual income and no dependents might point to more disposable income.

These are just basic examples of demographical data points. You’re limited only by the information you can collect.

Facebook, for instance, collects an amazing amount of demographic information, including things like homeowner status, age of children, dietary preferences, political affiliations, and even favorite sports teams. If you have the information, use it!

Demographic Data: A Goldmine of Information

Collecting demographic data on your audience helps you better tailor your marketing messages, gain insight into their wants and needs, and makes it easier to identify the people you should be targeting. It’s a marketing strategy you can’t afford to miss!

Need help getting to know your customers? Let Mischa Communications do some digging. We’re ready to get to work.