H. Walker's: a company that markets to its "tribe"

One of the savviest marketers in town is Tracy Walker-Kiser, owner of H. Walker's Men Clothing Company, located downtown at the corner of 17th and K Street. Herb Walker's has been around for a long time, and Tracy recently took over the day-to-day control from her father, Herb. What impresses me is how well Tracy knows her market. Her audience - it's actually more like a "tribe" than an audience - is the Bakersfield that is connected, involved, aware and more likely than not to show up at a Rotary function or art show. And she targets her marketing dollars wisely, only using venues that speak directly to that audience. She's a regular in BakersfieldLife magazine, for example, a publication whose demographics skew older, better educated, wealthier and - this is important - involved in the community. It's one reason why her print ads - like the one shown here with Houchin Blood Bank's Greg Gallion and her father - are so well received. She's speaking to her "tribe."