Whether you are selling a product or service, building a business, or looking for a job—one thing is certain—you need to have the right message and be able to properly communicate that message. However even with the right message many people miss the mark because they are not focused on targeting their audience.

For example, take a look at this screen shot from the Health section on MSNBC:

Notice anything? Peter Pan Peanut Butter’s online ad is prominently displayed on top of an article about salmonella—at a time when the peanut industry is in the middle of a product recall. Given the message in the ad – “Peter Pan is safe to enjoy” along with a “peanut butter you can trust” coupon, the company is attempting to communicate the safety of its product. However this approach can be risky within the context of the article and the backlash the peanut butter industry has recently experienced.

The day after President Obama appeared on Jay Leno’s Tonight show many people are wondering if it was a good or risky move. Regardless of your political affiliation—I think his appearance was a great PR move. What he did by going on the show was target a specific audience. He wanted to communicate with the average American—not Congress or Wall Street or even political/news junkies. Past presidents have used radio addresses or town hall meetings but we live in a mass media digital age with multiple channels and outlets for which you can communicate and target your message. Once you have your message honed, the difference in getting it heard (or seen) can very well be contingent on the audience you are targeting.

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