Whatever niche you are in, your ideal target audience is there. As long as your services provide real value, there is a group of people who will be “chomping at the bit”, so to speak, for using them.

The problem for many, especially solopreneurs, is that they have a hard time identifying exactly who their ideal audience is. And even after you figure out who you want to reach, the wrong messages might make them think your offers aren’t for them.

The big takeaway here is that a bad message can kill your brand and your business.

After all, if your target audience doesn’t think they’re the one you’re trying to reach, why would they bother to find out more about your business?

Now the good news: Reaching your ideal audience is far from impossible. Taking a few extra steps to refine your brand’s message will help you reach the right people.

1. Understand who they are (really)

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is that they often only focus on basic demographic information to determine who their target audience is. But in reality, information like age or race doesn’t tell you anything meaningful that helps you really know your audience.

If you really want to know your audience, you need to know what Questions for them. Their interests, lifestyle, worries, goals, etc. Don’t miss it just because you’ve heard it before. People are their habits, not their age or gender. Personal things like hobbies, fears, and desires are the most useful information when it comes to your messages and settings. This attention to detail about what matters to them and why allows you to speak to your audience – not them.

A good example of this comes from J. Benjamin Unkle, Jr., CEO of Birds singing. In a recent email conversation, he explained, “Although our end users are older people, they are people who don’t spend a lot of time online or maybe don’t see the reason for it. ‘use technology. This means that our real target audience is their families. People who want to help their parents or grandparents stay connected and engaged with society. Understanding why they would want their loved ones to use modern technology is what drives all of our posts. ”

Your client will always be more complex than just ‘seniors’ or ‘men between 18 and 48’, so do more research to find out who they are. really are.

2. Find out where they hang out

I wish it was something I didn’t have to bring up, but it seems all too often entrepreneurs forget that messaging on LinkedIn is very different from messaging on Facebook, which is also different from messaging on Twitter. .

Different people use different platforms for different reasons. Heck, even a person with accounts on these three platforms is going to use each one differently. Your message should fit where it is delivered.

Of course, you’ll save money by focusing on the platforms your audience likes to ‘hang out’ digitally. Focusing on the most used platforms and then adjusting your post to reflect the type of content your audience wants to see when using those sites will help you make the best impression possible.

3. Be persuasive with your messaging

Corporate ads are generally extremely generic, stereotypical, and impersonal. The problem is, many solopreneurs try to follow the “big business” model to get things done, and their ads end up with the same detached corporate feel.

A recommendation from a trusted leader in your industry or one of your favorite influencers on the other hand? It’s a message with a real human face attached to it. The personal testimonial or recommendation feels much more authentic, even if it is part of a paid partnership. Most importantly, those in your ideal target audience already know and trust this person.

This way, your brand’s message isn’t just more personal. It is also much more convincing.

Being personal with your branding and showing that you are a lively and breathing individual and not another faceless and emotionless company can also help (it has certainly helped me), but if you are not (yet) me , you can build your credibility through a face of trust in the industry and have an even greater impact on potential customers.

4. Take into account the change of weather …

To say that we are living in strange times right now is an understatement.

Global events like COVID-19 can (and have had) a major impact on you and your audience. You cannot ignore this. You have to adapt.

When planning a new messaging effort, take a step back and think about how it will sound in light of current events. Does your post reflect how the changing situation is affecting things on a “global” level?

More importantly, does it recognize its impact on your customers as individuals?

This doesn’t mean that every post you post should reference “COVID-19” or any other headline dominating the news that day. But aligning your message with high impact events will keep your brand fresh, informative, and relevant.

You will show that you really understand what is going on in the lives of your clients and why you still matter.

Become a better messenger

The most effective messengers know they need to tailor their message to meet the needs of their audience. This is especially true when trying to sell a service online.

By actually getting to know your ideal audience – what makes them tick, where they hang out, and what will be most persuasive to them – you’ll create those connections that will help you grow smarter.

Could your branding message use your personality more? Read my article “Your business is unique, so why is your brand generic? “ and learn to avoid the “generic brand trap” that most service companies fall into