Business language blunders: “target markets”

Sometimes we use language that makes no sense! “Target markets” are my new target.

In most contexts, having a target would be considered aggressive. In fact, it’s defined in one of these three ways:

- To shoot at

- A person to criticize

- A goal

The plot thickens as we consider the primary synonyms of the word “target”:

- Prey

- Victim

- Mark

- Sitting duck

Are you starting to wonder how in the world “target market” was ever normalized?

So peculiar that the business world has selected “target” as its word for narrowing its focus for its marketing strategies, in the process creating “target dates”, “target sales”, “target audience” and, of course, “target market”.

In the end, target market” creates a duality: You reach the target, or you don’t.

That’s why we focus on the stakeholder at Just Like Family Home Care. Everyone matters, the care we provide is for the entire family, and we see the ripple effects within the community. This is a wholistic approach. We are not “targeting” anyone.