Lemonade can be a very refreshing drink and on a hot day can find many takers.
But when it comes to selling lemonade all year long, you will need to clearly identify your target market to make sure there is a regular demand for your product. So, who is most likely to buy your lemonade? Is it kids on their way home from school, adults out for a walk, or people at a picnic?
Once you know who your target market is, you can start thinking about ways to reach them. In this article, we will discuss the different segments of the target market for lemonade and review some marketing strategies for reaching them.
The Target Market for Lemonade: Who Buys and Why?
To best understand the target market for lemonade, we need to understand who might need to buy lemonade, why they would it and when?
By answering these questions we can categorize the market into distinct customer segments. Then we can study each segment to understand its wants and needs so that appropriately market our product to them and design and develop new products – including other drinks – that will appeal to them.
Such an analysis gives us the following segments of the target market for lemonade:
- People looking for a refreshing drink
- People looking to rehydrate themselves
- People who go are playing a sports game
- People who just love all things lemony
- Kids on their way home from school
- Parents looking for a healthy drink for their children
- People going on a picnic
- Hikers looking for a drink to carry with them
- People at the gym or a fitness center
- People looking to replenish electrolytes and minerals
Let’s look closely at each of these market segments
1. People looking for a refreshing drink
One of the main reasons why someone picks up a bottle of lemonade from the store is because they are looking for a refreshing drink. Maybe it’s hot outside and they are looking for something to cool them down or maybe they are just feeling a bit thirsty and prefer lemonade over water.
Regardless of the reason, people in this market segment look for something that will taste good and make them feel refreshed. And usually, lemonade fits the bill.
To reach these people, lemonade companies can target locations where people are likely to be looking for a refreshing drink such as nearby parks on hot days, outside of sports stadiums, and at the beach.
2. People looking to rehydrate themselves
Another segment of the target market for lemonade is people who are looking to rehydrate themselves. This could be because they are sick, they have been sweating a lot, or they just want to make sure they are staying hydrated.
Lemonade is a good choice for these people because it not only contains water but also electrolytes and minerals that can help replenish what has been lost.
To reach these people, lemonade companies can target locations where people are likely to be looking for a drink to rehydrate such as gyms, running trails, and even the mall.
3. People who go are playing a sports game
People who are in the middle of a sports game, be it on the soccer field or on the basketball court, need to constantly keep themselves hydrated. They tend to sweat a lot, their muscles get tired and they risk dehydration and cramping.
But unlike the people in the previous market segment, they are not just looking for any drink, they want one that will help them perform better.
This is why some athletes turn to energy drinks to give them both the sugar boost and the energy boost that they can temporarily get from such drinks.
But other athletes prefer healthy drinks like lemonade because they can better replenish lost salts, electrolytes, and minerals with lemonade.
4. People who just love all things lemony
All of us have a favorite fruit. Some people like apples, others prefer oranges. And then there are those who just love lemons.
For these lemon-lovers, anything and everything that is lemon-flavored is a winner in their book. This includes lemonade, of course.
To reach these people, companies can target locations where people are likely to be looking for lemon-flavored products such as supermarkets, cafes, and online stores.
5. Kids on their way home from school
Lemonade is a popular drink among kids, especially those who are on their way home from school. It’s a refreshing and tasty drink that can quench their thirst after a long day at school.
To reach these kids, companies can target locations such as schools, after-school clubs, and youth centers.
One of the easiest things companies can do is to stock vending machines with their lemonade products so that kids can easily get their hands on them when they are thirsty.
6. Parents looking for a healthy drink for their children
Parents are always on the lookout for healthy drinks for their children. And while there are many different types of drinks out there, lemonade is one that is often seen as a healthier option.
It is also one that is often seen as a safer option compared to energy drinks or sodas. And many children tend to like it which means it’s much easier to get them to drink it.
A great way to target parents is by offering volume discounts to parents so that they can stock up their fridges as well as their larder with lemonade.
7. People going on a picnic
Lemonade is a classic picnic drink. It’s perfect for a hot day and it goes well with all sorts of food.
To target this market segment, companies can target locations such as parks, nature reserves, and campsites. If such places have vending machines they could try and get their products in these machines.
Or they could get grocery stores close to picnic areas or campsites to carry their lemonade.
8. Hikers looking for a drink to carry with them
Just as the crowd that goes on picnics, hikers also need to keep themselves hydrated while they are out on the trails.
But unlike picnickers, they cannot just rely on getting their drinks from a vending machine or a grocery store. They need to carry their drinks with them.
This is where light and easily portable lemonade products come in handy. And since many hikers tend to look for healthy drink options, lemonade becomes a great choice.
To target this market segment, companies can target locations such as hiking trails, nature parks, and outdoor stores. They could also target online stores that sell hiking gear since many hikers do their shopping online.
9. People at the gym or a fitness center
People who work out regularly need to stay hydrated. But they also need a drink that will replenish the electrolytes that they are losing through sweat.
Lemonade is a great choice for such people as it contains both water and electrolytes. It is also a refreshing and tasty option which makes it much easier to get people to drink it.
So people who go to gyms and fitness centers are an excellent target market for lemonade. This is one of the reasons why it is common to find vending machines at gyms and health clubs carrying products like sports drinks, bottled water, and healthy snacks like protein bars.
And there is no reason why your lemonade product shouldn’t figure here.
10. People looking to replenish electrolytes and minerals
Many people and not just athletes have a need to replenish salts, minerals, and electrolytes. This segment of the target market for lemonade is vast and includes people who are sick, the elderly, those working in hot climates, and women who are pregnant.
All these groups of people have a need for drinks that will replenish their electrolyte levels. And lemonade is a great choice as it contains water, salt, and potassium.
To target this market segment, companies can target locations such as hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics.
Conclusion
Lemonade is a highly versatile drink that is enjoyed by and useful to a large group of people. To understand the target market for lemonade we 10 segments of the market that are attracted to this drink for different but overlapping reasons.
Some people turn to lemonade for a refreshing drink that they can rehydrate themselves with. Others who are more sportive use it to replenish themselves with salts, minerals, and electrolytes.
Kids returning from school could pick a bottle of lemonade from the vending machine as might someone at the gym after a tiring workout.
Likewise, parents will often turn to lemonade as a healthy drink for their children.
And finally, people going on a picnic or on a hike will often carry some lemonade with them, sometimes even one they’ve made themselves at home.
