Behavioral Segmentation

This final blog about segmentation is focused on the behaviors of your customers. As I’ve said before, the more you know about your customer, the better you will be able to attract and keep their attention. The more you do that, the more they will buy, and the more they (and you) will benefit.

When we talk about behavioral segments, we are focused on HOW the consumers behave, and how you can leverage those behaviors in your marketing strategy.

Think about the behaviors of your customers. How can you market your product or service to those specific behaviors?

If, for example, you run a retail store, you might ask yourself:

1. How do my customers behave at the mall?
2. How do they act at the checkout line?
3. What do they usually do when they go to the website?

The answers to questions like these can help you create segments.?

Sometimes behaviors can be confused with psychographics, which we discussed last week.?

Psychographics refer to how they think, why they buy — is it impulsive? Because someone else is buying? There is overlap between Psychographics and Behaviors, but the most important thing to remember is that Psychographics are the WHY. Behaviors are the HOW.

Energy companies, for example, are using Psychographics when they tell you — sometimes on your bill — that your usage is more (or less) than all your neighbors, or the amount you used at the same time last year. They are using the behavior of yourself or others to encourage you to consider other service options they provide.

Consider how you can do something similar. Do your customers walk to work? Ride a bide or drive a car to work? Those behaviors help you segment your customers so you can market to their specific behaviors.

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

1. What behaviors do you want to use to create customer segments?
2. What other ways have you used to create segments?
3. What other tools have you used to leverage segments ?

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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.