Understand the target audience

A few words of wisdom on creating advertising that connects to your target consumer, from Business Week.

When an ad is about your company, you're essentially asking consumers to actively pay attention, process what you're telling them, and compare it to their current reality to see if it fits. On occasion you may hit someone who's in the purchase-decision mode and tell them exactly what they need to hear, but most of the time your ad will fall on deaf ears.

By contrast, if you begin with the target audience and understand what's on their minds and where they're coming from, you're much more likely to capture their attention. You'll get credit for understanding them, and they'll give you a chance to make a point that they can grasp. The key is to start from the customer's perspective, not the company's.

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