There are many strategic ways to market your business. One of the key factors in developing a marketing strategy is understanding your target consumer. There are a many ways to profile your target including marketing segmentation which can be based on any factor, like culture, economic status and geographic differences. If the market segmentation is based on geographic units, it is called geographic segmentation. Geographic segmentation strategy is when an audience for a given product is divided according to geography, such as nations, states, regions, counties, cities, or neighborhoods. Marketers will tailor marketing programs to fit the needs of individual geographic areas, localizing the products, advertising and sales effort to geographic differences into buckets of needs and wants.
Geographic segmentation can be a very important process, especially for multinational and national businesses from Fortune 500 companies to global brands. These big brands have to formulate different marketing programs which are intended to capture the customers of different geographic units and are formed after careful study, research and evaluation. Many times marketers will keep their brand’s method but vary in their approach to delivering the message. They will also alter the product packaging, advertising techniques or means of promotion based on a different geographic units, as per the taste of the customers that are categorized to form that unit. For example, a global business organization which specializes in clothing may divide the market on the basis of the climate. Such segmentation of the market results in the sale of winter clothes in a country with cold weather, but at the same time may promote other types of clothing in some other country. Hence, the variables of this type of marketing segmentation include regional climate, population density and economic status.
Geographic segmentation and profiling are very vital processes of marketing strategy. However, it misses other demographic factors like age, gender and income.
Just for fun, below are geographic segmentation factors to consider when marketing to Texans:
Everything’s Bigger in Texas- Another common term, “Texas-Sized” is used to describe something that is large compared to other objects of its type.
Don’t Mess with Texas – The slogan began as a statewide advertising campaign in 1986 to reduce littering on Texas roadways and quickly became a Texas cultural phenomenon. While officially a trademark of the Texas Department of Transportation, “Don’t Mess with Texas” is frequently cited example of pride in Texas culture.
The Heat – Dallas has dry heat with average temps in the high near 100 degrees in June, July and August.
Football – The Heisman trophy is named for John William Heisman the first full-time coach and athletic director at Rice University in Houston. The Dallas Cowboys are known as America’s Team. Cowboy’s Coach Tom Landry is quoted “Football is to Texas what religion is to a priest.” It isn’t uncommon in Texas to spend $20M on a high school football stadium and pack it with 40,000+ fans for a Texas high school playoff game. Allen, Texas just built one of the largest high school football stadiums in the nation. It takes 26 buses to transport their High School band alone. Texas is home to many professional sports teams including Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, Houston Astros, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Texas Rangers.
Cowboys Stadium- The massive Dallas Cowboys Stadium is the largest dome ever constructed for a sports stadium; it’s also the most expensive sports venue ever built. And inside it holds the biggest high definition video screen in the world.
BBQ, Tex-Mex and Margaritas – Texans loves to eat and BBQ and brisket can be found in Tacos. Dallas Restaurant Owner Mariano Martinez invented the frozen margarita machine 40 years ago and transformed Tex-Mex popularity.
Texas State Fair- As one of the largest annual events in the nation, the Texas State Fair is proudly held in Dallas in historic Fair Park since 1886. It usually begins the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The 2013 Fair will begin September 27 and end October 20.
Dallas Traffic- For most cities with already lengthy rush-hour commutes throughout the week time spent behind the wheel is further prolonged on during drive times. Radio listening is high during this time.
Austin – This Lone Star capital is now considered the live music capital of the world. The prominent SXSW Musical Festival is hosted here.
Big Cities – Texas possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the U.S. including Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.
Cattle- Texas has more cattle than any other state with estimated 16 million.
Lone Star State– Texas’ nickname is the “Lone Star State” as a reminder of its struggle for independence from Mexico.
Gulf Coast – While you won’t mistake the Texas coastline for the Caribbean, the beaches are frequent vacations stops for both family and spring-breakers. South Padre Island boasts in having the largest shrimp fleet in the U.S.
Money Matters – World Bank and the U.S. Department of Commerce estimate Texas’s GDP (gross domestic product) at $1.14 trillion, which makes it the world’s 14th largest economy. Texas also has more Fortune 500 companies than any other state. In addition, we have no personal income tax (One of only 7 states).
Would love to hear your comments as to why everything is bigger in Texas! Please take a moment to post your commentary.
3 Martini Lunches 