In lead generation, secondary audiences can be an overlooked target market. Primary audiences are the key focus for just about every campaign. This makes a lot of sense. This is the audience you are targeting. They are the potential leads that will purchase your products or use your services. Every campaign is geared towards primary audiences. Most campaigns do not take notice of an audience that may not have the same power but still has a lot more influence than you realise.
Secondary audiences refer to the potential leads who will not purchase your products or services directly. They will influence primary audiences, instead. There are a few different examples. You could have seasonal campaigns promoting gifts for kids, mothers, fathers, romantic partners or any other group. Although the buyer is the one making the actual purchase, the people receiving the gifts are the ones who are dropping hints on the gifts they want.
You could have a sales manager looking at CRM tools after being instructed by the CEO to find a tool that is best for the company’s needs. This manager is the one who will be using the tools, which means that their influence holds a lot of power in the company’s purchasing decision. This can be a good opportunity for reaching a wider, more targeted audience for lead generation strategies.
Should You Target Secondary Audiences in Your Lead Generation Campaigns?
Primary audiences are still the main focus of lead generation, as they should be. Secondary audiences can have equal value, however. Here are some of the key ways that secondary audiences help your campaigns.
Increased influence
Influence is by far the biggest advantage that secondary target audiences bring to the table. This can act in a similar way to recommendations and testimonials. If a sales manager is going to their CEO with a list of CRM tool platforms, they have plenty of influence. The CEO has specifically asked for research and recommendations. Tools suggested by the sales manager are far more likely to be purchased.
Decision-making
In the majority of cases, it is the primary audience that will make the decision. Campaigns will target this audience, taking the lead through the funnel. Using our CRM example, the CEO has gotten some recommendations from the sales manager, who has done extensive research. The CEO has a good idea of what the suggested tools offer. They check out the websites of each platform, perhaps watching a video or downloading a list of specs. Although they have just entered the sales funnel, they are far more primed to make a purchase. This is because the decision-making process has been fast-tracked. The CEO trusts their sales manager and they are more likely to know what they want and what each tool they are considering offers. Informed leads are far more likely to convert.
Wider reach
Targeting both primary and secondary audiences helps to give your campaigns a wider reach. Secondary audiences are often found lurking on your social media sites. Many will read your blog articles and have an interest in what you offer. They will sign up for newsletters and often engage with your content, commenting, liking and sharing. Even though they are not the ones who will directly purchase, they will still help you extend your reach. You can run mini-campaigns on social media or SEM to target this audience or incorporate content that appeals to primary and secondary leads.
Secondary Audiences and Lead Generation
Lead generation is all about finding and targeting people who will convert into customers. Expanding your horizons and exploring audiences you may not have considered in your lead generation campaigns is a great way to increase your chance of reaching potential leads.
