Customers

Identifying your target customer base is fundamental to operating your business. Obviously, advertising is the primary method used to reach your customers. However, knowing the most effective ways to advertise to your audience requires identifying your customers' wants and needs. The more you know about your customer, the greater your chances are of successfully marketing your business offerings to that base.

There are many ways to gather demographic data identifying your existing customers as well as potential future customers. Many resources provide coaching, assistance, and marketing analysis information to assist businesses with their market research needs. Some of these resources are listed below for your reference.

U.S. Census Bureau

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) - Market Research

U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

West Virginia Department of Commerce - Interactive Data

West Virginia Secretary of State Business Statistics Database

West Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Online searches by topic are also good ways to find information on the latest marketing tools and trends.