Targeting Asian Customers

[Kama]

Hello,

We are an international website with members from all over the world.

Now, we are specifically interested in targeting Asian customers from the UK.

Does anyone have some good ideas for the best medium and/or venues for targeting this group?

There is big mela at the NEC in Birmingham in November, we were thinking of getting a stand there, but it is quite pricey and we were wondering if it would be worth the investment. Has anybody exhibhited at this mela before and if so what was the response?

Thanks.

[Jayne]

Why only Asians, you haven't said what your web site is, it would be nice to know and maybe get you some more visitors to it. :D

Best Wishes

Jayne

[Kama]

Why only Asians, you haven't said what your web site is, it would be nice to know and maybe get you some more visitors to it. :D

Best Wishes

Jayne

It is an Asian dating website. As you might already know the dating segment is very competitive.

The best chances for success in the dating website market is to go after specific niches, which is what we are trying to do.

[TechFox]

Try http://www.htmail.com/order.html?mike@techfox.co.uk

They have a database of 14468 Asians

[Jayne]

Why only Asians, you haven't said what your web site is, it would be nice to know and maybe get you some more visitors to it. :D

Best Wishes

Jayne

It is an Asian dating website. As you might already know the dating segment is very competitive.

The best chances for success in the dating website market is to go after specific niches, which is what we are trying to do.


Is it only Asians who can join then, love has no nationality or race I believe, it seems a shame it just being Asians.

Good luck with your site :D

Jayne

[Kama]

Why only Asians, you haven't said what your web site is, it would be nice to know and maybe get you some more visitors to it. :D

Best Wishes

Jayne

It is an Asian dating website. As you might already know the dating segment is very competitive.

The best chances for success in the dating website market is to go after specific niches, which is what we are trying to do.


Is it only Asians who can join then, love has no nationality or race I believe, it seems a shame it just being Asians.

Good luck with your site :D

Jayne

No, anybody can join. We have quite a few non Asians on the site as well.

But, that is not our primary market. We don't have the resources to go after the mainstream market at this time. Match.com is soon to launch a 4 million pound advertising campaign in the UK. We can't go up against the big boys.

[Kama]

Try http://www.htmail.com/order.html?mike@techfox.co.uk

They have a database of 14468 Asians

You seem pretty desperate.

[Jayne]

What about local radio adverts or local papers. There are large communities in both Leeds and Bradford, W.Yorkshire and as you know Birmingham. I believe Rocklinks on here is starting his own radio thing, PM him, he may give you a plug :D

Good Luck

Jayne

[Pilfo]

Kama,

Should you be successful in obtaining a list of Asian customers in the UK, please let us know, as this is one of our potential target markets, that we would like to enter.

Pilfo

[top-click]

Hi Kama - you can be pretty direct in the copy use with PPC advertising - is this a route you had considered?

Give me a shout if you need any pointers

Rob

top-click

[Kama]

Hi Kama - you can be pretty direct in the copy use with PPC advertising - is this a route you had considered?

Give me a shout if you need any pointers

Rob

top-click

Rob,

Thanks. We are already using PPC and have been doing so for quite a while. We will continue to use it, but need other marketing channels as well.

[Kama]

Kama,

Should you be successful in obtaining a list of Asian customers in the UK, please let us know, as this is one of our potential target markets, that we would like to enter.

Pilfo

Well, demonstrating your product at the NEC fair that we are also planning to attend might be one good avenue to introduce your product to the market. But, you are talking around 1500 pounds for a 6 square meter stall.

Will let you know if i find an Asian customers list.

The other thing we have done, which you might want to think about is door to door flyers in predominantly Asian areas. It was quite succesful for us.

[directmarketingadvice]

"Asian" is a pretty broad term which covers a number of very different (and separate) races (and approaches to dating/marriage)

Are you aiming at any particular subset?

Also .... err ... how do I put this ... we Europeans have a particularly .... ahem .... "try before you buy" approach to finding a serious relationship.

In some British-Asian cultures, this is viewed in a bad light within their community.

Are you taking an approach which is more traditional or is it more ... for want of a better word ... laissez-faire?

(and no plays on the word laissez!)

Steve

[Kama]

"Asian" is a pretty broad term which covers a number of very different (and separate) races (and approaches to dating/marriage)

Are you aiming at any particular subset?

Also .... err ... how do I put this ... we Europeans have a particularly .... ahem .... "try before you buy" approach to finding a serious relationship.

In some British-Asian cultures, this is viewed in a bad light within their community.

Are you taking an approach which is more traditional or is it more ... for want of a better word ... laissez-faire?

(and no plays on the word laissez!)

Steve

When I say Asian, I am referring to the generally accepted UK definition of Asian, which in reality is South Asian, i.e those from the Indian subcontinent.

And yes, regarding the culture, it is not a "traditional" matrimonial type site which dominate the market now.

We are trying to market it as an alternative to the traditional approach, but at the same time making it more palatable to the audience by not marketing it as "laissez-faire". It is a fine line. But, that is our challenge.

[directmarketingadvice]

What you're doing seems wholesome enough. Have you tried approaching Mosques?

Also, many businesses have large mailing lists of primarily young people.

It should be pretty easy to extract the Asian names from these, as the names will be different from Western ones (and far east ones).

Are there internet forums for young British asians? You could publicise yourself there.

Or you could approach the Asians on your site already and offer them a reward for everyone they sign up.

Also, there is Asian media which you could target with PR.

Just a few ideas off the top of my head while my pizza is cooking.

Steve

[Pilfo]

Do some Asian groups still have arranged marriages?

Pilfo

[Shaggy]

Asian radio reaches out heavily into that area, SunRise radio, even BBC Asia would give you mass penetration.

Hey I might even have a connection at Sunrise radio for you, PM me if you want further info.

Cheers,

Sharaz

[Kama]

Do some Asian groups still have arranged marriages?

Pilfo

Yes, they do. I don't think arranged marriages per se are a bad thing. It is more like introducing you to a perspective mate through a network of friends and family. The people meet and see if they like each other or not. It works very well for some people who might not have the social skills to meet someone on their own.

The problem is with "forced marriages", where the arrangement is forced upon the couple. And they are made to marry someone of their family's choosing. It happens, yes.

[Pilfo]

The reason I ask, is that surely that could have a negative effect on your proposed business.

Pilfo

[Kama]

The reason I ask, is that surely that could have a negative effect on your proposed business.

Pilfo

It does. And there is a cultural stigma against "dating". But, that is the challenge.

FYI, it is not really a proposed business, the website has been up for almost three years now. It is only now that we have the resources to go after the market in a bigger way.

[Greg]

Press release? There are a large number of Asian newspapers, magazines, and radio stations in the UK.

To give you an idea, here's one we did recently for an Asian Lifestyle Portal http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/releases/c99472.php .

If you're exhibiting in November I would recommend sending out a press release now, and preparing a press pack for visiting journalists - to have on your stand and in the press office at the centre.

[Asteeleleith]

Hi Karma

I think you also need to consider the class of asian you are targeting. and what you intend your website. that is to say are friendships going to be developed out of this. Are families going to be looking through it for partners for their "Children"

If this is the case then perhpas the place to consider targeting might believe it or not be the professional journals like the British Medical journal. now i know this seems funny but i know for a fact it has a lonely hearts column.
Then there are the correpsonding law, and accounting journals to consider.

what about the new asian magazine, that targets muslems "Emel" is it called.

Perhaps approach some of the mosques, now this might be a touchy feely approach, but you could certainly get your business noticed there.

Hope this Helps

Al

[Asteeleleith]

just had another thought

what about visiting some of the asian (that is to say indian and pakistani etc ) communities. There are plenty in birmingham, luton
Green Street in East london. And simply get some flyers printed out and handed into some of the key shops in the area.

The word will soon spread :-)

Al

[Kama]

just had another thought

what about visiting some of the asian (that is to say indian and pakistani etc ) communities. There are plenty in birmingham, luton
Green Street in East london. And simply get some flyers printed out and handed into some of the key shops in the area.

The word will soon spread :-)

Al

Thanks for the suggestions. We have done some of this already. But, it is a continuous process.