SBDC Client Spotlight – Mind Brain

Strategize Before You Publicize

How Customer Segmentation Analysis will Keep You from Shouting into a PR Void

Respected Harvard researcher and parent entrepreneur learns that customer segmentation analysis in more important than just focusing on a “PR blitz” when it comes to marketing a product.

“My SBDC consultant helped me realize that I needed to figure out who my product’s main customer segments were before I worried about how to get PR. This additional focus, clarity and direction were vital to my project’s success.” – Jenny Woo, Founder, Mind Brain Parenting

Jenny Woo knew she had a great product that would help kids and families. A Harvard-educated researcher and parent entrepreneur, Jenny created an emotional intelligence card game, 52 Essential Relationships, designed to help tweens, teens and adults become better communicators, more empathetic, and to succeed at life.

Jenny launched her product with a successful Kickstarter campaign that achieved over 700% of its funding goal and she was eager to take her efforts to the next level.

However, having recently relocated from Boston to Southern California Jenny worried that a lack of strong Southern California business connections might inhibit her ability to generate the publicity needed for the next phase of her product’s growth.

That’s when Jenny reached out to the SBDC @ UCI Applied Innovation. She was partnered with SBDC consultant, Laura Beken, who quickly helped Jenny make the connections she needed and assisted her in determining exactly who her product’s largest and easiest to reach customer segments would be.

“A lot of the time businesses think they need a ton of PR. But what they really need is to figure out who their main customer segments are and how to reach them most effectively. There’s no sense getting PR if you don’t know if it will reach your intended customers.” – Laura Beken, SBDC @UCI Applied Innovation Consultant

Jenny and Laura mapped out a grid of Jenny’s largest customer groups. This included determining which groups would be the easiest to reach.

Then, Laura put Jenny in touch with her network at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. This provided an invaluable resource that enabled Jenny to receive expert feedback from pediatricians and medical professionals about her product.

With these new contacts and customer segment knowledge in-hand Jenny launched a second Kickstarter campaign. This time utilizing the platform not only to raise funding but also to gather targeted customer input and suggestions.

You can see the results of Jenny and SBDC’s hard work for yourself on Jenny’s new Kickstarter page (and support her in her cause) here: http://bit.ly/eqforsuccess

Follow Jenny on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |  LinkedIn for her continual progress with us at the SBDC

Focus Your PR Efforts In 4 Easy Steps

At the SBDC, our team uses customer segmentation analysis to figure out which customer your business should go after first

1. Plan before you shout

Take a step back and figure out who you want to reach instead of just trying to reach “everyone” and hoping for the best.

2. Map out your customer groups

Analyze who your top three or four largest customer segments are.

3. Determine who will be easy to reach

It’s not only segment size that matters. Take into consideration how difficult or expensive it will be to reach each of your customer segments.

4. Go after the low-hanging fruit first

Go after the largest customer segment that will also be the easiest to reach first. Use your success here  to go after more difficult to reach segments later down the road.