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🎯 What are Target Audiences?

If you thought this newsletter was about the Dollar Section at Target, you're probably not alone *trembles in plastic apple containers* - but much like beloved Target, we need to target our audience. And unlike Target, we can't appeal to everybody.

🤔 "Heather, you're off here. Listen - if I appeal to everyone = more people will buy from me. I ain't no Einstein, but the more people I reach, the more sales I can make."

You're not wrong - in theory. The more people who do know about you, yes, can order from you. But what you can't see is how many people who know about you still don't order from you because your brand messaging is fuzzy.

🤔  "Fuzzy? What mean you?" 

Let's say I wanted to start a group to talk about marketing and selling sugar cookies. But - sugar cookies. That's so limiting! Let's instead create a group that talks about selling all baked goods. 😬 Yeah, that'll get us access to a much larger audience! 

But just baked goods? 😬 What about hot sauce people and kombucha bros?! Okay - you're right. Let's create a group that features tips to sell things you create under cottage laws. Wonderful idea! 

Hold up - why limit ourselves to cottage laws? Maybe throw in brick-and-mortar bakeries, bottling companies, and breweries too. 😬  Good idea. Storefront audiences - they're pining for tips to make more sales to cover leases.

Waaaaidaminute. You know what - the same concepts we use to sell edible goods, we could actually use to sell candles and other products as well. 😬 Awesome - let's call the group, "Selling Things You Make (Group)," wide open to a huge target audience who will love to learn from us.

But what about importers and resellers? 😬 There's a huge market for those people too - and if we add them to our audience - well, heck! The Cookie College will be bursting with new signups! But we won't be able to call it The Cookie College anymore, huh? We'll call it "How to Sell Absolutely Anything Ever!" 

My point is a bit long in the tooth, but it can be summarized in this quote:

"When your messaging speaks to everyone, it speaks to no one."

🎯 Okay - I see your point. So who is my target audience?

Think of your target audience as a really tight-knit group of people. We want to keep our targets small - the smaller the better. A great way to start off determining who your current target is is by taking an average of who purchased from you in the past 1 year. 

Think narrow thoughts - speak almost about a single individual. What's that person's age? Male or female? Kids or child-free? Empty nesters or elementary school? Dinks or single-income? Home schooled or public schooled? Be specific. 

🎯 Okay - I've got the person narrowed down. Now what?

Now begin crafting your messaging to speak to that person. If that person has kids, talk to people with kids. "But what if some people don't have kids." They're not your target - remember, you just came up with your target person in the step above. "But won't they feel left out?" No - they'll find someone whose targeting they fall into. You need to focus on people who fall within your target audience.

🎯  Hey - what's the worst that could happen? 🎯 

Odds are if you haven't determined your brand voice, your messaging is already pretty generic and slightly fuzzy. The worst that could happen? You find a true tribe of customers who are more loyal to you than Corrie to a Target parking lot. 

Go forth. Find your target. And laser focus on what they want, like, and hate. Then speak to them about those topics. You're going to find that customers can connect with you on a deeper level (and end up reaching deeper into their pockets).