Marketing to a Captive Audience

When it comes to marketing knowing your audience is everything. Members and customers expect communication that is customized to their specific needs and wants because technology makes it possible. Savvy marketers use technology to help gather demographic and psychographic data to better target their messages and choose the right communications medium to use. The hope is that by tailoring the message, the receiver is more likely to read it and take the intended action.

Knowing your audience and anticipating what their needs are is a difficult task. Is it any easier if you already have a captive audience, one that already reads and even responds to your messages?

Certifying agencies launching a new program fall into this category. Certificants are a captive audience. The certifying agency is a trusted source of information. They provide information on continuing education opportunities, recertification status, industry news, etc. It would seem that they know the audience and, most importantly, they have their attention. If they have their attention shouldn’t it be easier to craft and distribute new messages promoting a new program or product?

The answer is both yes and no. Launching a new program or product to a group that trusts you as an information source requires the same strategic planning and the same creative implementation.

Have you launched a new or advanced credentialing program or new product to your current certificants? How did they respond? Did you use techniques similar to what you use in your daily marketing program? How did you develop the marketing plan?

Please share your thoughts, experiences and "lessons learned" with us. Post a comment here or email info@seacrestcompany.com.