Finding your target market can be hard or easy depending on your business, product line, and geographical area. Even after much homework and focus groups you may find that you are going down the wrong path. I am just reading the biography on Steve Jobs of Apple and he states, “I don’t do focus groups, people don’t know what they want yet” That may be true because a focus group may be the wrong audience for your product. When I created the first comic book for my series I thought my target market was the seven to twelve years of age group, until a mother looked at the content and said she wouldn’t let her seven year old read that. I had put a hold up in the story. The father’s didn’t mind and I thought it would be fine because the kids come into my art class and draw guns all the time. Anyway for the second issue I decided the audience would be nine to fourteen. The problem is that I all of a sudden had adults reading the comic. So the third issue I decided to keep at the nine to fourteen range and that seems to be going well. I am now looking at the fourth issue and may move it back down to the seven year old stage due to the lessons I want to share. The thing is that the content you put out many times will determine the target market you are involved with. It may also move in directions that you don’t see at the moment. Take social media for that matter, Facebook was started for and meant to be used by college students.It is now used by grandmothers, businesses and more.
So initial evaluations may set you down a path with your product but don’t be afraid to adjust as required. Keeping flexible is one of the best ways for an artist or small business to get a product into the game, being able to adapt will set you apart from the larger companies that can’t adjust on a dime.
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a cartoonist, illustrator, and business consultant. He creates many products through his art business for his different businesses. For more information visit his website at www.pridejunkie.ca , www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com ,www.drawingwithbruce.com
Bruce Outridge Productions 