Email marketing is a powerful tool in the digital marketer's arsenal, but like any tool, it requires precision and careful handling. The effectiveness of your email campaigns hinges largely on how well you target your audience. Here are nine signs that it might be time to rethink your email targeting strategy.

1. Low Engagement Rates:
If your emails consistently yield low open and click-through rates, it's a clear sign that your messages aren't resonating with your audience. This is a red flag that you need to refine your targeting.

2. High Bounce Rates:
A high bounce rate indicates that many of your emails are not even reaching potential customers. This could be due to outdated email lists or poorly segmented audiences.

3. Lack of Personalization Impact:
If your attempts at personalization (like using the recipient's name) aren't improving engagement, it could mean that your deeper targeting criteria are misaligned with your audience's interests and needs.

4. Negative Feedback Increases:
An uptick in negative feedback or complaints is a critical indicator. It suggests that recipients find your emails irrelevant or intrusive, signaling a need to reassess who you're emailing.

5. Low Conversion Rates:
If your emails are read but not converting, there’s a disconnect between the content and the audience’s desires or needs. Rethinking your targeting approach can help align your content more closely with what your audience actually wants.

6. Declining List Growth Rate:
A stagnating or declining email list growth rate can indicate that your targeting strategies aren't attracting new subscribers, or worse, are driving potential subscribers away.

7. One-Size-Fits-All Content:
If all your subscribers receive the same content, you’re likely missing the opportunity to connect on a more personal and relevant level. Segmenting your list based on interests, behaviors, or demographics can lead to more effective targeting.

8. Ignoring Subscriber Lifecycle:
Not tailoring your emails to where a subscriber is in their customer journey (new subscriber, regular customer, lapsed customer) is a missed opportunity for precise targeting and messaging.

9. Competitors Are Outperforming You:
If your competitors seem to be achieving better results with their email campaigns, it could be due to more sophisticated or effective targeting strategies.

Conclusion:
Email targeting is an ever-evolving process. By staying vigilant for these signs and being willing to adjust your strategies, you can ensure that your email marketing efforts hit the mark, engage your audience effectively, and drive conversions.