Understanding your audience is a vital skill for any online business owner – in fact, I believe that applies for any business owner! – if you want to be successful at marketing to them.
Why?
Simply put: because trying to reach too many people is a scattergun approach and none of those people will 'get you'. It's akin to speaking to a crowded room full of folks - great in principle - but they're not really interested in what you've got to say, so they're not really listening. (Boo.)
Instead – understand who your brand's audience is and then you'll be able to attract the RIGHT people into that room. They will be interested in your message, so they'll pay attention.
And the best part then kicks in… the fact that when they're listening, that's when they start to engage. And that's when you grow a relationship with them.
It's when they'll trust you enough to want to buy. (And to recommend you to others like them!)
In the land of marketing, there's a phrase that sums it up:
"When you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no-one."
So what to do about it…?
It's time to get focused and get targeting those RIGHT people.
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I think it's a common misconception, which many business owners have, such that their brand will suit "a lot of people". Or that "a wide range of people" can benefit from their product or service. So they want to market widely and reach as many people as possible.
I'm sure that's true and the product/ service would be great for LOTS of audience members, in many cases.
And it's also true, that it'll be HARDER to have an impact via marketing to that large audience group, as opposed to a small group.
By focusing first-and-foremost on a single Dream Customer, it's possible to connect with them so much more effectively than the large audience all at once.
Less scattergun.
Let's see an example,
Starting with a small business owner who describes a Dream Customer of mums aged between 30-50, who like modern/ contemporary home décor… then I’m afraid I don't believe that’s specific enough.
I don’t know about you, but I know a lot of mums who fit that bill, and they’re pretty different from each other. The 30-year-olds are especially different from the 50-year-olds, for starters!
Different life situations, different financial circumstances, different purchasing decisions going on for each of them.
This is why getting really narrowed down is going to work in this business owner's favour.
Deciding on a Dream Customer doesn’t mean The Only Customer.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t ever attract other customers who aren’t a bit like that Dream Customer. It just means that the Dream Customer is going to get your vibe sooooo much more easily.
Imagine, the archery target.
We place our vision of a single Dream Customer, in sharp focus there. Aim and fire!
We might not score the direct hit every time, that's OK – and it's reassuring to know that every shot is practice, improvements, getting closer, sometimes our 'message' hits them… sometimes it's a bit off and that's OK too.
Let's suppose the outer rings of the target will still have other audience members we're drawing in and sometimes resonating, with every 'shot' fired… every marketing post published, every web page visited, every in-person conversation… whatever the 'shots' look like. They connect in some way, even if it's not always the Dream Customer at the archery board's centre, especially so with more practice and more 'firings'!
We can surely consider the easiest person to connect with is the one we're aiming for most often and most consistently – why wouldn’t you focus on converting him/her to be an actual customer, before concerning yourself with the rest of the audience hanging out in the overall target arena?!
How come it's easiest to connect with that one person, though? To speak directly, rather than shouting to a noisy crowd:
My top 6 reasons why narrowing down a single Dream Customer will be helpful for growing your brand
- You can sell to your audience more effectively
- You can narrow down your niche zone-of-genius better. And your audience will be crystal clear that you're 'the one for them'.
- You can pitch your products or services more clearly (and compete better in a crowded online space).
- You can attract a loyal fanbase more easily as more people see themselves reflected in your portrayal and messaging of a Dream Customer.
- You can grow social media audiences – on any platform – with less work.
- You can garner a more engaged following. Even if they're not quite ready to buy yet, or if they're 'in between' purchases, they'll still be more likely to interact.
All of these reasons spell REDUCED EFFORT in your business marketing - as opposed to the tougher option of speaking to many people at once.
Got to be worth it, right?
Let’s compare this idea back to that archery target…
You know your one Dream Customer is at the heart of that target.
You work on aiming for that person. Improving your aim. Fire. Fire again. Keep going. Gradual improvements every time… you're definitely getting better.
When you don't quite get it, it's about pausing to consider… why do you think that shot might've been off? What you might try differently to improve the strike-rate for next time?
Always on repeat. Don't lose heart, you're getting better at this!
You hit the target more and more often with practice. More connection with the one person you need to connect with. It's becoming easier, and taking less work.
You’ll take to hitting other people in the overall target area too, folks hanging out in the outer circles of the target. They’ll no doubt pick up your message, as well. More people are drawn in too. They'll realise that your brand is actually perfect for them and they listen more closely.
Anyone who you don't connect with… well, they're not right, they'll drift away from your target. They weren't right in the first place. It's FINE!
And overall, you’ll still strike a lot of people even when concentrating most focus on the one Dream Customer, and what that one person needs to hear.
There are a LOT of people out there who are exactly like your Dream Customer.
If you'd like some support in pinpointing YOUR Dream Customer (or Client)… that one 'really-needed-to-hear-you-today' ideal person, who'll be hanging on your every word…
I'm here to help. Let me know if you'd like a VIP Intensive coaching session to break down and understand who that person is and how you'll message them with every aim you take in your marketing. Message me here.
I hope this helped you today. Ruth 🙂
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