It's important to remember that the focus of marketing is people. If you're concentrating your efforts on your product or profit only, you'll miss the mark. The term target market is used because that market -- that group of people -- is the "bull's eye" at which you aim all your marketing efforts.

So, don't forget that a market is people... People with common characteristics that set them apart as a group. The more statistics you have about a target market, the more precisely you can develop your marketing strategy. The table below shows some examples of market segments (or groups):

Here are examples of target segments that can be created using the above table:

• Women business owners between the ages of 25 and 60 earning more than $25,000 annually form a demographic segment.
• People who drive compact cars due to their fuel efficiency form a benefit segment.