Chapter 2: Target Audience

After doing your market analysis, you will already have a clear idea into who your target audience will be and what your niche product and market is. These two aspects walk hand in hand and must be done simultaneously to avoid costly mistakes in the future.

Generally, your profit would come entirely from understanding what your audience wants. That is why research becomes the ultimate part of the ideation process. If you do your research properly, you could:

Your print shop can opt for either a direct-to-consumer model, where you provide your products and services to individual customers, or a business-to-business model, where you help various entities with their apparel printing needs. You could also opt for a mixed model where you take orders from regular customers and entities at the same time.

The better you understand and target your audience, the more successful your sales efforts will be.

NOTE: Customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than companies without a customer-centric strategy.

What do you think is common between brands like Netflix, ASOS, and Sephora?

All these brands have customers at the center of their strategy.

Netflix uses curated recommendations for a better experience, ASOS centers itself around customer service, Sephora uses technology to deliver personalized shopping experiences.

In the same way, consider keeping customers at the center of your approach to drive better results.

The business model you choose will ultimately affect the other aspects of your overall business performance.

Individual Customers

Letʼs assume you are running a print shop that could also sell customised print T-shirts. You could take this into leverage and sell whatever is currently on trend and preferred to your audience.

Take for instance a millennial who just loves Harry Potter. If they stumble upon your print shop that sells cool, customisable Harry Potter merchandise that tailors to their preference, chances are word is going to go around and they will come back for more. Other fandoms from the Star Wars franchise, or maybe even Game of Thrones, will hear about this and want their fantasy world custom printed on their T-shirts, mugs, and tote bags too.

PRO TIP: This is just an example. Do take note that you will need to properly license copyrighted materials. On the other hand, you could also create materials without infringing any copyrights.

To find out these trends and patterns that could be used to your print shopʼs leverage, there are more ways than one that could help you analyse the market.

NOTE: Stand out from the crowd. If competitors in your area only provide a certain type of printing service, try to be different.

Servicing Entities

If youʼre not targeting individual customers, you may be looking at helping various entities - from schools to universities, factories to corporations - get their custom printing done. If youʼre lucky enough, you might be able to sign a contractual agreement with them, ensuring that youʼre getting their business for a long, long time.

NOTE: This is why it is important to do your market research before deciding on your business model. If your print shop is located nearby schools, try to target catering to schools. If it is nearby offices, cater to more corporate wear. Find out and use it to your advantage.