Most companies rely on their primary target market for the bulk of their revenue, but secondary markets give your business an additional source of potential customers that you can sell your products or services to. The demographics of your secondary target market usually differ from your primary market, so plan to create separate promotional messages as part of your marketing strategy to reach and convince these prospects to buy.

Identify Prospects

Research the demographics of your secondary target market by first looking for segments in your overall market that may lead to potential buyers. For example, find out where they get information about products, such as on the Internet, from referrals, or from ads during television programs. Look at the unique needs and problems of this group that indicate they may find your product or service of use. For instance, if you sell grooming aids, your primary target market may consist of affluent adults from age 25 to 40 who buy high-end grooming supplies. By updating the packaging on your grooming aid so it’s more attractive and futuristic, you appeal to a secondary market of younger adults who want to try something new and trendy and are not yet loyal to a certain brand.

Appeal to Influencers

Your secondary market may consist of influencers — people who impact the decisions of others to buy your product or service. For instance, if you sell mobile applications to people who go to the gym, and who want to keep track of the calories they burned and their current weight, influencers are the gyms and trainers who recommend the mobile application to their clients. Your primary target market sees the benefit as keeping track of their workout data, but the benefits for your influencers, in this case, would focus on helping their clients reach their fitness goals or encouraging them to get to the gym more often.

Doubling Up Messages

The main promotional messages you use to persuade your primary target market to buy require revamping to appeal to the secondary market. Your website and social networking pages cater to your primary target market, so you must find ways to draw in your secondary market. While you could create a separate website and Facebook page to appeal to the secondary market, it’s more cost effective to develop two sets of messages that reach both markets with the same tool. For instance, create one Facebook post that appeals to your primary market, and then write a second post that makes your secondary market aware that your products work for them, too.

Creating Separate Promotions

Your company may want to create separate promotional efforts to appeal to your secondary market. If you run print ads to promote your product, use messages that speak specifically to your secondary market. Place the ads in publications this group reads. Build a separate website page that speaks to this market, and provide the link to the special web page in your ads, in your direct mail efforts, and in any marketing materials rewritten exclusively for the secondary market.