Does the term target audience make you want to tune out? Then this blog is for you.
What if, instead of thinking of jargon like target audience, you think of the word community? Instead of “targeting” potential customers, you are building a community of people who connect with your business. You guessed it—this week I want to talk about something that is very important to me, which is community building. There’s a reason “create your community” is part of my slogan, and it’s because community-building is something that truly lights me up.
If you are a small business owner then you probably are creating something important and meaningful to others. It’s no easy task to start and grow a business. It requires passion, patience, planning and plenty of resilience. There is a lot more than financial gain to be had by successful business owners. And those of us who choose business ownership as a career are usually in it for more than just the money. So why not think about building your business as if you were building a community.
Community creates connection. It provides a space to build and cultivate relationships. It allows for continued opportunities to build trust and loyalty in others. These are all things I think business owners should strive to achieve for themselves. And there is tremendous opportunity if you consider your business to be a place for building community.
So if creating that long list of traits and interests of your target audience and then developing a marketing plan to get in front of that ideal customer, feels overwhelming and daunting to you, try this approach. Consider answering these questions instead. Inspiration may strike and the foundation of a plan might be formed… give it a try.
- Who do you want in your community? Is this an inclusive or exclusive community? What would you do differently if it was one way vs. the other?
- What does someone need to do to be a part of your community? How could you make someone feel like they are part of a community? What do you need to feel like you’re part of a community?
- What does it feel like when you feel emotionally connected to something? Do you feel more fulfilled? Is there a way to encourage customers and clients to feel this way when they work with you?
- Are there other people or businesses in your community who might be willing to help you grow your community for your business?
When you’re thinking about marketing, consider envisioning the kind of community you want to create for yourself and for your business.
Why does this matter? Taking the first step in creating a vision for the community you would love to build around your business is a way to inspire action in your marketing. Suddenly you’ll have ideas about who might be a good person to share business ideas with, or content that you’ll want to create on social media or what information you want to share on your website. If this resonates with you, go even further with it. Create a to do list and plop some of these inspired action steps in your calendar. See what happens when you start from a place of hope, inspiration and positivity.
Hope this helps get you on your way to creating that community you’d love to be a part of! If you have any questions about marketing, reach out to us here at Fesyk Marketing to get more advice on how to build your brand and create your community.
Need a little more help with your marketing planning? We’ve got more on target audiences here:
- Have Fun Identifying Your Target Audience
- Understand Your Target Audience to Give Better Customer Service
Or check out our previous blogs on goal-setting:
- Discovering Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal
- Why Does Your Business Need a BHAG?
- Why is Goal Setting So Hard?
- Why OKRs Are a Great Tool for Setting Goals