In our last tip we explored the reasons why “niching down” and developing a bulls-eye audience is so critical to successful marketing efforts. But what about the practicals?! Talk is cheap! (Amen, my friend)
Today, let’s dive deeper into some concrete tips for how to develop your niched-down audience in order to get your marketing efforts in front of more of the right people.
A great place to start is by asking a simple question: Who are the types of people we serve the most? Then, list out a few general examples. But, that’s only the beginning. After all, you’re not in business or ministry to serve “types” of people— you want to serve people people!
Once you’ve come up with a few different general categories of the types of people you serve, take it even further by thinking about one (or several) actual individuals that you serve. Get really specific— even name them! You should be able to identify the defining characteristics of each person.
Really, we’re trying to develop “personas.” These can be real people, or fictional representations of real people. Things such as: demographic information (and break this down as much as you can), their interests, their daily and weekly routine, what groups are they part of, how do they spend their money, where do they get their news, etc. As you dive deeper and deeper into the mind and behaviors of your ideal customer, you will start to understand what makes this person tick. In fact, you should know them so well, you could write a page in their daily diary— and they wouldn’t even notice! (Except, don’t really write in their diary… that’s just weird).
Once you have developed these specific personas (or have chosen a few real-life individuals from your actual customer list) you are well on your way to market your product or service to them from a place of empathy.
If you find this exercise difficult, or maybe if you don’t feel like putting words in your audience’s mouth, another great place to start is with an actual market research survey that you send out to your current and past customers. Develop a few simple questions that, once answered, give you the insights you’ll need to really understand them.
You’ll want to gather enough information so that you can see the full picture, the entire story of their journey in relationship with you and/or with your product or service. For example, What was their life like before they heard about you? What pains or problems were they suffering with? How did they discover you? (This question will also help you diagnose which of your current marketing efforts are actually working!) What prompted them to engage with your products or services? What difference have your products or services made in their life? What does their life look like now that they have been served by you?
You might be sitting on a gold mine in terms of developing the language to speak in order to attract more of the right people to your products or services— all you have to do is ask.
By the way, this type of approach to marketing can often be the cure to feeling like you’re “selling” too much. Nobody likes feeling like a greasy, sleazy salesman. Ick! The more you clarify your offer and frame it as a solution to specific people’s real problems and pains… The more you will reach a growing audience of the right people with your solutions… and the more problems and pains you’ll solve. It’s truly a win-win!
Instead of feeling like you have to convince people to buy something from you, you’ll simply begin creating more and more raving fans because you’ll spend less time selling and more time making people’s lives better! Little by little, as you begin to solve more and more people’s problems and pains with the products and solutions you offer— you’ll be well on your way to making the world a better place!
And after all, isn’t that why we’re all in business in the first place?
Until next time, Fiat Lux (Let There Be Light) !!
