Why brands need to differentiate between demographic and geographic segmentation vs. psychographic and behavioral segmentation
Maybe you’ve been presented with this comparison before — and I totally understand why because it’s such a great example that shows the difference in segmentation when you use demographic and geographic segmentation vs. psychographic and behavioral segmentation to make your audience notice, remember and share your brand and buy your products.
Because even though Prince Charles and Ozzy Osbourne are the same age, both male, from UK, wealthy and practicing Christian — they have completely different interests and most likely won’t buy the same products or interact with the same brands.
Which is why it’s important for brands to pay more attention to the people behind the data like; personality traits, life goals, beliefs, values, spending habits, interactions with the brand, browsing habits, loyalty to brand etc. And then you use this information you’ve gained to do emotional branding, where you appeal directly to the consumer’s emotional state, needs and aspirations. This is critical to deliver a truly consumer-centric approach.
People are different and we no longer want a one-size-fits-all solution, products etc. We want products that help us express and amplify who we are. Like when Amazon tailor your start page to your needs or when you get to choose which series or movies you want to watch on Netflix, and they even suggest some based on what you watched — instead of watching flow TV. We choose brands that are building personalized experiences for individuals. We want to stand out, we want to take a stand and we want to show the world.
So, if you’re not already doing so — start now by looking into your consumer and walk the steps they’ll take to make a decision that improves their lives. After you understand what motivates them, you can give them what they want or need to solve a problem they’re facing. They want to be spoken to as the individual persons they are — not like a number.
