I can’t go a day without seeing or hearing phrases like this at work or in industry blogs/pubs: “Who’s our target?” “The target is middle aged men who like to watch Dancing With The Stars, drink Coke Zero and…” “Let’s be contrarian! We’ll target moms!”
Whoa! Hands of my momma!
Seriously though, enough already. We’re in the business of communications, engagement and fostering relationships between brands and the people who love (or LIKE) them. We aren’t Navy SEALS.
Using words like “targeting” gets us into a distant, cold and almost clinical mindset towards the people we are trying to talk to. It makes it harder for us to “stand [in our audience’s] shoes and walk around” as Atticus Finch might say. As strategists, it is crucial to break into those shoes, take a stroll or two and discover insights.
So next time let’s try to resist the temptation to say “target.”
Here are a few of my favorite “target” alternatives:
Target as a noun
– People we want to talk to
– Audience
Target as a verb
– Talk to
– Communicate with
– Engage
What words do you like to use instead of “target?”
Cheers!
Ryan