The U.S. Census Bureau – One of the greatest sources of demographic information is the U.S. Census Bureau, which measures the population of the United States every ten years. The information obtained by the U.S. Census determines the make-up of the U.S. House of Representatives by state. In addition to actually counting the general population, the Census also breaks down Congressional Districts throughout the nation along numerous demographic standards and criteria, with all information organized by zip code. Best of all, this Census data is available by zip code to anyone at no charge! U.S. Census data is a treasure trove for any marketing pro who wants to learn specific information about a community: www.census.gov
Voter Registration List – You can also target your consumers via a more local and fairly inexpensive route – the voter registration list. Go to your local County Board of Elections and ask to buy a copy of the list. This will be only a fraction of the price of an outside company's list. The voter list will tell you the age, sex, and location of each person registered to vote. You can target these people by looking at the list and determining which neighborhoods they live in. Once you have developed a customer profile, you will know where and how to advertise. Targeted demographics are more likely to buy or use your products or
services.
