AMiable Solution #449: When Mass Marketing Makes Sense

Ever wonder if you should be mailing to the masses?

In light of all the talk about and focus on targeted and niche marketing, you may think there isn’t any room or need for mass marketing in your strategy or budget. But that may not be true. Mass marketing, like deodorant, works best when applied correctly

Unlike targeted marketing, which picks and chooses who to address, mass marketing covers as much ground as possible, appealing to everyone possible. It’s a one-size-fits-all approach to reaching the largest number of potential buyers regardless of age, location, income, previous purchases, etc. That works great for some companies, but not so great for others.

How do you know if yours is one of the “great” companies? Consider what you do and what you want. In other words, mass marketing should be part of your marketing strategy if you…

· sell a “must have” product. Mass marketing appeals to the universal needs of buyers. Everyone needs food, clothing, and shelter (“must haves”) but not everyone needs the latest iteration of the cell phone or tickets to a community production of “Cats.” Used largely by big corporations trying to increase sales and brand exposure through lower prices, mass marketing promotes products most people use.

· want to increase brand recognition and can serve everyone in a given geographic location. Mass marketing doesn’t have to mean national marketing. You can develop a general marketing campaign for everyone in a particular city, state, region, or country if your product or service has general or universal appeal and use (think restaurants, events, attractions). Marketing the masses through multiple platforms—billboards, radio ads, newspaper ads, direct mail, print marketing, social media, etc.—not only helps you reach as many buyers as possible, but it also helps you reach buyers in as many ways as possible.

The price, like the reach, with mass marketing is bigger than targeted marketing, so you need to be sure of your strategy before appealing to the general population. However, if your products and your goals warrant it, mass marketing can create great returns.