Psychographics are used to define persons by their interests, immutable laws, attitudes and experience. Too often we market to demographics alone, the quantifiable parameters of persons such as sex, age and marital status. Marketers get trapped selling to what is going on outside (demographics), ignoring what is going on inside (psychographics).

Just because your top clients are female, between the age of 35 and 55 and married doesn’t mean you have clearly identified their makeup. This is merely a demographic and is not likely representative of a group seeking a single message. It definitely does not give you clarity on their feelings.

This became extremely apparent to me when I started interviewing my most loyal readers (women between 35 and 55 who are married). As I learned their stories, I found that these readers had a common, yet unique, experience from the rest of the demographic. Their husbands are verbal supporters of their entrepreneurial endeavors, but simultaneously are emotional detractors. In other words, the old hubby is saying “go for it,” but emoting “you are screwing the family!”

My most loyal readers are experiencing a feeling abandonment from the person they share a bed with! They have an immutable law of “you must earn my trust, before you will get it.” And they have an understandable attitude of being hyper sensitive to any male that panders.

I am not just marketing to a demographic, I am marketing to a mindset. So are you! Start interviewing your clients. Talk about their feelings. You will find how to start (or stop) marketing to them.