Knowing who your target audience is is essential to a healthy, thriving business. If you don’t know who you are specifically selling to – you are wasting time and money talking to people who don’t care. Audience Avatar development is how all of your marketing campaigns are determined – it’s a huge part of your marketing direction.

It sets the tone for your brand personality, language, values and motivators. Everything is tied back to what that ideal client needs and is looking for. You are NOT your target audience, even if you were once, you aren’t anymore – now you are the expert. Don’t assume you know who your target audience is, collect real data and opinions. You need to research: industry, competition, interview past clients, best clients. What are they scared of? What motivates them? What is their state of mind?

COLLECT REAL DATA

If you don’t narrow in on your target audience you are wasting 90% of your time and effort – it’s falling on deaf ears. Focus on the 10% and get 9% of that business. Quality of over quantity.

What are they scared of? What motivates them, what is their state of mind? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that everyone is your client. They aren’t! You aren’t milk – something that everyone once needed at some point – and even if you were, have you seen how many milk alternatives there are these days? Each has a very specific avatar that is the best fit for them. If milk can be divided and divided again your business can be dialled in. It will save your sanity and your dollars.

Combine data in to 1-3 max. avatars/personas (primary, secondary, tertiary): give them a name, photo, background, motivation, fears, state of mind, favourite brands, any other details you see as important to understand in order to sell to them.

WHAT’S NEXT?

What to do with client avatars once you have them? Easy every decision you make from events you attend to which social media platform you post on, to products you offer is run through the avatar. Would they be there? Do they care about what you are offering? Do you solve a problem for them?

It’s like courting your clients. If you come in too hot and fast they will run, if you act like you don’t care or understand they will never call you back.

Ask yourself these questions as well about your target audience:

• Which demographic characteristics influence the decision-making process?
• Which psychographic traits impact content consumption?
• How does your audience prefer to engage with brands similar to yours?
• Is your audience segment large enough? Specific enough?

If you work on developing 1 or 2 specific avatars your decision making and focus will improve tremendously. Focus means quality over quantity means landing more of the people you interact with and your ROI will increase tremendously. Even more importantly than that, the connection you feel with those you are working for will be rewarding and genuine. Connecting with those customers is a big reason why we all created our businesses. Don’t miss out on that opportunity.