Effective Market Segmentation

Market segmentation is a means to an end: to identify and profile distinct groups of buyers who differ in their needs, preferences, and responsiveness to an organization’s marketing programs. Effective market segmentation should provide answers to six fundamental buyer-related questions for each market segment:

  1. Who are they?
  2. What do they want to buy?
  3. How do they want to buy?
  4. When do they want to buy?
  5. Where do they want to buy?
  6. Why do they want to buy?

More often than not, the answers should be expressed in a narrative form documented with quantitative and qualitative research.

From a managerial perspective, effective market segmentation means that each segment identified and profiled satisfies four fundamental requirements. Each market segment should be:

  1. Measureable. The size and buying power of market segmentation can be quantitatively determined.
  2. Differentiable. A market segment is distinguishable from other segments and responds differently to different marketing programs.
  3. Accessible. A segment can be effectively reached and served through an economically viable marketing program.
  4. Substantial. A segment should be large enough in terms of sales volume potential to cover the cost of the organization serving it and return a satisfactory profit.
