How To Identify Your Target Audience & Reach Them

A few weeks ago, I provided reasons for why family and friends are not your target audience. I'm sure that post left you wondering, "how do I know who my target audience is?” and “how do I reach them?"

At some point, you may have considered joining a bunch of different Facebook groups to help you get in front of a general audience. However, the key to knowing who your target audience is and how to reach them are not to look for an audience at all, but to focus your message to one specific person. 

In this blog post, I want to help you narrow down your target audience to one person, give you tips on how to identify them and how you should frame your message. Ready? Okay, lets go!

1. Looks 

Do you know how your ideal client (target) looks like? How old he/she is? Do you know if your target is a man or a woman? What their educational background is? If he/she is an undergraduate student? Or if your ideal client has a bachelors degree or masters degree?  

Once you know the answer to these questions, you will be able to determine your target client’s demographics, as well as pin point them on social media and in person.  

2. Behaviors

What are your target’s interests? You can easily find this answer without them even telling you! Check out their Facebook and Instagram pages. Study their behaviors. Pay attention to the type of posts your target client likes and the types of pages they follow. Take note of it all! 

Okay, now that you have the keys, here's how you unlock the right message to reach them - focus on their needs! What issues are they currently having in their business that you can provide a solution for?

For instance, let's say you are a women's fashion blogger and someone you follow on Instagram seems to struggle with finding the right shoe for every occasion. If you could, what would you say to that follower? What suggestions or tips on styling would you give to help them? 

You could write a blog post entitled "3 must have shoes for every season" or create a downloadable look-book with the suggestion of outfits of the day (OOTD) that include shoes and accessories. 

It is important to make your message personal. People are looking for brands that speak directly to them. You don't want people to question if something is for them or not. You want your message to say “Hey you! You need this!” “Download this!” or “Read this now!”

By focusing on marketing in second person, you allow potential audience members to feel like you are talking to them personally. This will help you attract a larger group of similar, potential clients and before you know it, you'll have an entire audience. 

Was this helpful for your efforts with knowing your target?

Leave a comment with your thoughts or questions!