What in the world are you talking about?
Every person requires the same basic needs. But whether they actually have those needs or not is a different story. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs breaks down the different levels of human demands and can help you find your target market. Looking at the pyramid below, you start at the bottom and go to the top. For example, if you don’t have your safety needs, you are not concerned about self-actualization, esteem, and belonging.
But what does this have to do with marketing?
When considering who your target audience is, you have to think about their day-to-day life. So we will break down two different scenarios and explain where they might fall on the pyramid.
Scenario 1
Elliot is in his 40s and is married with two children. He has worked in accounting for 15 years and lives comfortably with his family in the upper-middle class. They have a lovely two-story home in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. He also golfs with his friends on the weekends to keep in touch with them. However, Elliot does not feel comfortable or confident with himself and wishes he could improve.
When looking at this brief description of Elliot’s life, he has the first three needs already- physiological, safety, and belonging. This means that we know Elliot sits on the esteem level of the pyramid. His primary concern in life right now is his self-worth. Therefore, Elliot is the perfect target audience for products or services such as self-help books, therapy, yoga classes, etc.
Scenario 2
Jennifer is 25 and just moved from Colorado into a new apartment in Florida with a new full-time job. She is single and does not know anyone in her new neighborhood. Although Jennifer loves her new life, she feels very lonely.
Based on the information given about Jennifer, we can tell that she has the first two needs- safety and physiological. She currently sits in the belonging category of the pyramid. Her primary concern in life right now is improving her social life. She would be the perfect target audience for dating apps, social events, local clubs, etc.
To wrap it up...
Identifying where your audience sits on the pyramid will be beneficial when conducting your market research to find your target audience. It’s a great way to try to understand their needs without directly asking. For example, you would not try to sell a social event to Elliot because he is already married and spending his free time with his friend group. On the other hand, you would not try to sell a self-help book titled How To Earn Respect to Jennifer because she does not have a social group to earn respect from. By using this method, you can dive deeper into understanding the needs of your target audience and how your product or service will benefit them.
So be sure to look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when creating your next marketing strategy!
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