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Sherrington's 5W Method. Target audience segmentation
‘Divide all potential customers into groups with common characteristics.’ This is the first thing we read when we start to understand about target audience segmentation. Is it really that easy?
Surveys, focus groups, social media analyses and testimonials can provide useful information, but without a systematic approach, all of this data will remain disparate pieces of a larger puzzle. That's where a simple but effective tool comes in, one that will work for companies of all sizes (from small dropshipping sites to large corporations). Sherrington's 5W method for structuring and analysing. These are five key questions that help you build a clear, understandable and effective segmentation strategy.
Surveys, focus groups, social media analyses and testimonials can provide useful information, but without a systematic approach, all of this data will remain disparate pieces of a larger puzzle. That's where a simple but effective tool comes in, one that will work for companies of all sizes (from small dropshipping sites to large corporations). Sherrington's 5W method for structuring and analysing. These are five key questions that help you build a clear, understandable and effective segmentation strategy.
Segmentation. How, when and how often?
Segmentation is not a one-time event. You can't do it once and rest easy. Business is successful in constant motion. It is necessary to test hypotheses and creatives, to study the reaction within one segment, to make regular segmentation audits, to update information. Separate advertising campaigns, promotions and other offers are created for each segment.
Proper segmentation allows you to:
TON OP doo ltd offers you to pay attention to Sherrington's 5W method to not only increase sales, but also to better understand your audience, build competent communication and get closer to your customers.
What? ‘Product.’
What exactly do you offer your customers? This question helps to identify the key characteristics of your product or service. For example, you don't just sell clothes, but stylish and environmentally friendly materials, which is an important aspect for a certain group of customers.
The answers can be divided into two parts: basic (initial) and updated. TON OP specialists often encounter partners who are unable to formulate their commercial offers concisely and succinctly. In the context of dropshipping, it is important to accurately describe each product category. What exactly makes your product unique? Maybe it's special features or a favourable price.
Who? ‘Consumer.’
Who exactly will buy your products? Who is your customer? Where is your target market? What specific problems and needs does your offering ‘cover’? The better you know your audience, the easier it will be to create personalised advertising.
Not only is it important to have a basic understanding of who buys your product, but also a deeper analysis: age, profession, lifestyle, interests and buying behaviour. For example, if your audience is an active youth, your content, visuals and offers should speak their language and match their interests. Older audiences will likely require more formal and meaningful communications that emphasise facts and values.
WHY? ‘Motivation
Why do customers choose your product? Perhaps the most important question of all. What do you need to write about in an advert to highlight the main motive or multiple motives that can drive a customer to take action? What exactly are you offering customers?
‘Why?‘ questions reveal customers’ needs and ‘pains.’ Perhaps your audience chooses a product because it solves a specific problem, saves time, makes life easier, or provides a better outcome. It's important for dropshippers to outline the benefits the customer will receive. Focus on the problems your product solves. Marketing campaigns address customer pains and needs.
WHEN? ‘Momentum.’
When do customers buy your product? This question helps to identify seasonal fluctuations in demand or purchase frequency, which is important for customising advertising campaigns and offers. Some products (goods, services), are equally active year-round, while others only sell during certain seasons or events. Seasonal slumps, planned sales, holiday discounts or flash sales can have a serious impact on profits.
Segmentation is not a one-time event. You can't do it once and rest easy. Business is successful in constant motion. It is necessary to test hypotheses and creatives, to study the reaction within one segment, to make regular segmentation audits, to update information. Separate advertising campaigns, promotions and other offers are created for each segment.
Proper segmentation allows you to:
- better understand potential and existing customers
- offer a specific service to the most converting target audience
- provide customers with a more positive experience
- select the most effective sales channels
- reduce advertising and marketing costs
TON OP doo ltd offers you to pay attention to Sherrington's 5W method to not only increase sales, but also to better understand your audience, build competent communication and get closer to your customers.
What? ‘Product.’
What exactly do you offer your customers? This question helps to identify the key characteristics of your product or service. For example, you don't just sell clothes, but stylish and environmentally friendly materials, which is an important aspect for a certain group of customers.
The answers can be divided into two parts: basic (initial) and updated. TON OP specialists often encounter partners who are unable to formulate their commercial offers concisely and succinctly. In the context of dropshipping, it is important to accurately describe each product category. What exactly makes your product unique? Maybe it's special features or a favourable price.
Who? ‘Consumer.’
Who exactly will buy your products? Who is your customer? Where is your target market? What specific problems and needs does your offering ‘cover’? The better you know your audience, the easier it will be to create personalised advertising.
Not only is it important to have a basic understanding of who buys your product, but also a deeper analysis: age, profession, lifestyle, interests and buying behaviour. For example, if your audience is an active youth, your content, visuals and offers should speak their language and match their interests. Older audiences will likely require more formal and meaningful communications that emphasise facts and values.
WHY? ‘Motivation
Why do customers choose your product? Perhaps the most important question of all. What do you need to write about in an advert to highlight the main motive or multiple motives that can drive a customer to take action? What exactly are you offering customers?
‘Why?‘ questions reveal customers’ needs and ‘pains.’ Perhaps your audience chooses a product because it solves a specific problem, saves time, makes life easier, or provides a better outcome. It's important for dropshippers to outline the benefits the customer will receive. Focus on the problems your product solves. Marketing campaigns address customer pains and needs.
WHEN? ‘Momentum.’
When do customers buy your product? This question helps to identify seasonal fluctuations in demand or purchase frequency, which is important for customising advertising campaigns and offers. Some products (goods, services), are equally active year-round, while others only sell during certain seasons or events. Seasonal slumps, planned sales, holiday discounts or flash sales can have a serious impact on profits.
WHERE? ‘Sales Channel.’
Where will you sell or promote your products? Understanding where your product is being contacted - online, offline, on social media or in retail outlets - helps optimise your sales strategy.
Choosing the right promotional channels and understanding where your customers spend time and shop will allow you to allocate advertising and marketing budgets appropriately. Advertising messages should cater to the needs of each segment. If you sell products for young people, your main sales channels could be Instagram and TikTok, where your audience actively spends time. For a company selling B2B solutions, LinkedIn or specialised professional platforms will be more effective.
Where will you sell or promote your products? Understanding where your product is being contacted - online, offline, on social media or in retail outlets - helps optimise your sales strategy.
Choosing the right promotional channels and understanding where your customers spend time and shop will allow you to allocate advertising and marketing budgets appropriately. Advertising messages should cater to the needs of each segment. If you sell products for young people, your main sales channels could be Instagram and TikTok, where your audience actively spends time. For a company selling B2B solutions, LinkedIn or specialised professional platforms will be more effective.
What tools can you use to segment your audience?
So, whether you run a large corporation or a small shop, the 5W method, invented by economist Mark Sherrington, helps you segment your target audience by identifying the basic needs of most target groups.
- Google AdWords provide information on how many users are interested in your product in search engines.
- Google Analytics helps you identify the characteristics of your website visitors.
- Google Trends shows the dynamics of the frequency of queries in different periods of time.
- TONOP software automates audience analysis processes, collects data on customer behaviour, manages advertising campaigns and tracks results in real time.
So, whether you run a large corporation or a small shop, the 5W method, invented by economist Mark Sherrington, helps you segment your target audience by identifying the basic needs of most target groups.
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TON OP DOO LTD
Address: 8 BORBA STR., PLOVDIV, BULGARIA, 4021
Mail: info@tonop.bg
Address: 8 BORBA STR., PLOVDIV, BULGARIA, 4021
Mail: info@tonop.bg