A customer base might not really be one pool.  A company might really have two very different classes of customers.  While it is easy for them to know it from a product or service sense, they might not have thought about it from a marketing standpoint.

They could be trying to serve two masters the same way.

I have a friend who has a software company that serves two different markets (sidebar- if you know someone in these markets that has a need, let me know). 

·         One software line is for call centers to help with their scheduling.  It helps clients plan for their call center needs and improve responsiveness and reduce staffing.

·         The other software is for desk hoteling- where companies will assign cubicles daily to salespeople/others who are in the office that day.  It helps large companies with their office space scheduling and ultimately cut down the number of cubicles they need.

The call center line is geared towards call centers with 50-100 staff.  The desk hoteling line is meant for larger companies (across any industry) with lots of offices.

These are two very different sizes of companies.  This can mean for very different marketing.  One size may not fit all.

If you are serving some very different markets, considering some of the following:

1.       How large is the sale in each market?

2.       How long is the buying cycle?

3.       Who is the ultimate buyer and decision maker?

4.       What are the compelling reasons which create the need and make them buy?

5.       What elements of the marketing mix come in play to reach them?

You might find that in order to serve two masters, you might need two very different marketing tracks.  For example, it might be a very different salesperson that would be effective in each.

If you are trying one size to fit all, you might find one market is not doing as well.  Two masters may need to be served very differently.

                                            
                                                             (flickr photo by NikiiNJ)