Is there a place for mass marketing or should businesses focus only on target marketing? Target marketing is designed to give you the most revenue for the least amount of marketing. By directing the marketing towards the specific type of person intended to use your business, you save money and time. There are disadvantages and benefits to both target marketing and mass marketing though and it’s important to know when and why to use each type.
We’ll start with the advantages of mass marketing. First, by launching one ad campaign directed generically at all people, you can use a larger or more expensive option to get your message out. Mass marketing also allows for brand awareness. Well-known companies like McDonald’s or Target or even Facebook can attract customers without saying a word. All you need to see is a golden arch, bull’s-eye, or blue “f” and instantly you know what is being advertised. That’s mass marketing. The ads are not about attracting a certain gender or ethnicity.
However, the problems with mass marketing make the advantages less appealing. The cost of mass marketing prevents most small businesses from being able to compete. On top of that, most businesses are not able to create a product that attracts every type of person. The disadvantages of mass marketing directly relates to the benefits of target marketing. Businesses that sell lipstick for instance are very unlikely to be able to mass market to men, women, and children. By using target marketing though, the advertisement can focus on not just women but the race of woman or the age of woman that are most likely to buy the lipstick. It’s not to say that no one else can use or buy the product, but if someone is using a competitor’s product, advertising directly to that type of person is the best way to get them to try your product.
So the question remains, is there a place for mass marketing? Big name companies with large marketing budgets can easily afford to market however they want. For example, a small business probably cannot afford a television commercial during the peak opportunities, like those million dollar super bowl commercials, to hit a mass audience. The ads that are more successful will market by area and demographic which allows for companies to market certain products to targeted customers. This is more effective than using mass marketing because the users are seeing things they are more likely interested in, rather than a generic product. Hiring a local radio company or television studio for this type of advertising can be very effective. Since the goal of any type of marketing is to grow the company, it only makes sense for target marketing to lead to mass marketing and mass marketing to guide target marketing.
The answer is yes. Mass marketing has a place, not instead of target marketing though. Mass marketing is a companion tool to target marketing and both need to be used effectively to make your business’ marketing strategy most efficient.
Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com which is the largest online business directory on the web.  ChamberofCommerce.com connects local businesses to their local Chamber of Commerce.  Megan also writes business news.