Deciding where to advertise and how to craft the right message hinges largely on knowing your target market. You can make assumptions based on foot traffic you've seen in your store (or what you expect if you're just getting started), but we all know what they say about assuming stuff. 

Doing marketing research is beneficial so you can more clearly define, understand and target the right customers. Of course, as a small business, you're likely thinking, "Sure, sounds great, but I don't have the budget to hire an agency for this." If you can't afford to hire a professional, here are a few ideas to help you get the information you need at a price you can afford.

Survey your customers: There are free or inexpensive online survey tools you can send to your email list, post on your Facebook page, etc. You can also just ask customers to answer a few questions. If you're trying to decide between radio, TV or your local newspaper, ask your customers which they use and when. If you're thinking about direct mail, ask for some location information. You get the idea.

Create your own focus group: Invite your friends over and ask them to bring someone who fits your target. Or, ask a few customers to bring a friend who hasn't shopped with you but might. Offering food may be incentive enough, but you could also give a gift card or bring free merchandise to hand out. Even if you try to round up complete strangers, it won't take tons of money to entice them to spend some time discussing their opinions in an effort to help your small business.

Remember, less is more when it comes to the questions you ask. Try to focus on the information you need to know. Plan your questions and how you expect them to be answered so you can identify pitfalls with wording, etc. Be intentional with the way you phrase questions so you don't lead individuals towards a specific answer. Multiple choice with a few opened-ended questions at the end (right before any specific demographic info) are ideal for surveys. With focus groups, you want to encourage some discussion but still keep the questions easy to answer.