Everyone is NOT Your Target Audience!

“My target audience is everybody”

As business owners, we all dream of creating a brand that the locals love and becoming a destination for people from far and wide. We envision a scenario where customers flock to our store, eagerly waiting to purchase our products or services… However, the reality is that building a successful business is not just a matter of wishful thinking. 

Your business is not for everyone! 

Business owners, especially those starting, have the idea that what they provide is for everyone and that the concept of a target audience seems reductive and deprives them of an opportunity to reach more people, thus depriving them of more revenue. But that is further from the truth! While, as a business, you can be accessible to everyone, not everyone will be your target audience. Having an ideal person or group in mind when you form your business is the best way to keep your business thriving and profitable. People love brands that can connect and relate to them, so when you tailor your messaging to speak to them personally, you will attract them and become advocates for your business. If your messaging is vague in an attempt to appeal to “everyone,” you risk not connecting with anyone, therefore killing your business.

Even soft drinks have certain people in mind!

Every successful business has a clear target audience, even a brand that some may think everyone uses—a great example is Coca-Cola. To the average viewer, this soft drink company may appeal to everyone; it is renowned worldwide and has a rich history. Surely, they dont have to worry about the target audience of their drink save those that just chose other drinks for taste, right? Wrong! Suppose we were to ignore the different flavors and variants of Coca-Cola in their library and focus on the basic form. Firstly, the company strategically targets youth in the age group of 10 to 35 years. To capture this demographic, Coca-Cola leverages celebrity endorsements in its advertisements and conducts promotional campaigns within universities, schools, and colleges.

Additionally, Coca-Cola appeals to middle-aged and older adults who are health-conscious or have diabetes by offering products such as Diet Coke.

What I have presented a small sample of the comprehensive analysis that Wafflebytes created of Coca-Cola's target audience, segmentation, and positioning strategy. 

Even though Coca-Cola is a universally popular brand, it still has a specific group of people it targets for its marketing efforts. This group helps them focus their energy on the audience most likely interested in their products. It also influences how they write their website copy, ads, and social media content to appeal to their target audience.

Knowing your target audience is crucial for any business, regardless of size. Even if you are smaller than Coca-Cola, clearly understanding who your business helps will attract more people who fit your target audience. So, identify your target audience and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly. Moreover, while Coca-Cola has two target audiences because of the size of the business, having just one rock-solid target audience profile will do just fine.

So…how do you form a target audience?

Forming a target audience is a straightforward process. It can even be fun! You are simply focusing on the person or group of people who would benefit the most from what your business has to offer. Here are the main points to focus on when creating your target audience.

Demographics

Demographics are a fundamental aspect of understanding your target audience. It involves gathering and analyzing information about physical attributes, such as age, gender, location, income level, education level, and other relevant characteristics. Collect this information through various means, such as market research, customer surveys, and social media analytics.

By understanding the demographic profile of your target audience, you can develop and execute marketing campaigns that cater to their specific needs and preferences. For instance, if you know your target audience comprises predominantly young adults, you can develop more relatable and appealing campaigns. Similarly, if your audience is primarily located in a particular geographic region, you can customize your marketing approach to align with their cultural and social norms.

Exercise: View the ideal person who would love your business. If you are an existing business, observe the similarities of your current customer base and write it down.

Psychographics

Psychographics refers to a target audience's mental and emotional characteristics, such as their values, interests, attitudes, and lifestyle. This information can be extremely useful in creating effective marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience's motivations and preferences. By uncovering your target audience's psychographics, you can gain deeper insights into their needs and desires, which can help inform your messaging, branding, and targeting strategies.

To collect psychographic data, you can use various research methods, such as surveys, focus groups, and social media analytics. Surveys can be a great way to ask targeted questions and get quantitative data on your audience's opinions and preferences. Focus groups can provide more in-depth insights and allow you to observe your audience's behavior and reactions to stimuli. Social media analytics can reveal valuable information about your audience's interests, behaviors, and lifestyle through online activity and engagement.

Exercise: Look at the social media platform you use the most. Find ten people who engage with this account the most. Scan their profile, see what interests them, who they follow, and how they present their lives.

Pain Points

Pain Points refer to the specific struggles and challenges that your audience faces daily. These may include financial issues, health problems, time constraints, or anything else that causes stress or frustration. Identifying your target audience's Pain Points is essential to creating solutions that truly resonate with their needs. When you understand what your audience is going through, you can create products or services that address their pain points and positively impact their lives. Doing so can establish a strong connection with your audience and build a loyal customer base.

Exercise: Reflect on what your business does/produces and write down five problems your audience would have if your business did not exist.

Goals

Consider your audience when identifying challenges and goals. Take time to understand the objectives of the company and the specific targets of the individuals you are trying to reach. Then, tailor your pitch and messaging to show how your product or service can help them achieve their goals more effectively and efficiently. This research will help you connect with your audience and position your business as a valuable partner supporting their goals.

Exercise: In one sentence, write the main thing your business offers, then continue by writing “so that my customers can..” then include what your offering is helping them achieve.

Buying Habits

When creating a compelling strategy to attract your target audience, it's crucial to understand the buying habits of your target audience. We can learn this through market research, such as surveys or focus groups, and by analyzing their online activity, such as search queries and social media interactions. This allows us to gain valuable insights into the preferences and needs of our audience and adjust our marketing efforts accordingly.

Exercise: Choose a specific timeframe for your observation period. It could be a week, two weeks, or a month, depending on the nature of your business and how frequently your target audience engages in buying behaviors. If your business is more e-commerce, observe the web provider's analytics to see your visitors' journey to your site.

Brand Archetypes 

“Your business definitely has a type!”

When identifying and forming a target audience for your business, one helpful approach is determining the branding archetype your business aligns with. These archetypes are not fixed or rigid personality templates your business must conform to. Still, they are frameworks that can be used to understand better your brand's personality, values, and identity. By identifying and embracing a particular archetype, you can more effectively communicate your brand's unique voice and message to your target audience while differentiating yourself from competitors and building stronger customer loyalty. Understanding and leveraging your brand's archetype can help you succeed tremendously in your marketing efforts and create a more meaningful connection with your customers.

There are 12 archetypes in total:

• The Outlaw - Harbingers of Change: Rebels with a cause who challenge the status quo.

• The Creator - Champions of Imagination: Express themselves with their talent and strive to bring their vision to life.

• The Magician - Weavers of Dreams: They can take people on a transformative journey through a magical moment.

• The Hero - Paragons of Justice: Seeking to save the day by crushing adversity at every corner.

• The Lover - Connectors of Hearts: Building relationships by being physically and emotionally appealing.

• The Jester - Rays of Sunshine: Breaks convention to stand out and blaze a new path!

• The Everyman - Parts of the Whole: Maintaining familiarity to appreciate everyday life.

• The Caregiver - Hands of Healing: selfless personalities driven to protect and care for others, especially those in need.

• The Ruler - Seekers of Power: confident, responsible, and in control of their lives and expect the same from others.

• The Innocent - Makers of Peace: Craving safety but ultimately want themselves and everyone else to be happy.

• The Sage - Scholars of Wisdom: Lifelong learners who enjoy expressing their knowledge through philosophical conversations.

• The Explorer - Drivers of Adventure: Explorers are on an endless journey of discovery.

Understanding which archetypes your brand resonates with the most will be a helpful step into defining who your business is and, thus, understanding your target audience's language.

Divo Designs Target Audience

I recommend a method for something only if I have done it myself. When starting my business, I had to sit down and think about the ideal client I wanted to work with. It didn't mean that I would ONLY work for that kind of client, but It helped me understand the main aspects of a client that I sync well with, helping me vet which prospect I want to make a client or not. Moreover, because transparency is vital for business, I will share with you the ideal client of Divo Designs.

My ideal client is an entrepreneur aged between 18 and 44 with an annual income of at least $80,000. They operate a business in the food, fashion, and/or self-care industries. They believe that true luxury is in creating a memorable experience for clients. Their core values are empathy, intimacy, boldness, and individuality. They partner with local charities, support causes they believe in, and are open to listening to different viewpoints. Their primary pain point is that their brand identity needs improvement, and they need help creating a consistent identity, strategy, and visuals to meet their goals.

Thank you very much for reading this article on how to grow your business by identifying your target audience. Please inquire on my page below if my ideal client statement aligns with your business goals. Let's discuss how we can work together to grow your business!