Think about anything you’re trying to accomplish — maybe it’s launching a new company, or getting “casual Fridays” approved in your office. Maybe it’s starting a book club, or meeting someone special on Match.com. No matter what you’re trying to do, your task will be a lot easier if you know exactly who your audience is.
Almost everything we do at Proof aims to bring people together, whether it’s working with a startup that wants to help new parents get more sleep, or a brewery that wants to gather people around a spiced autumn ale. No matter what the details of the project are, the first step we always take is to define the audience.
Knowing who you’re talking to helps you pinpoint the why. Why would someone buy your product, go to bat with you for casual Friday, or join your book club? The why is the most important part — it’s the motivation behind anyone’s actions.
The more we understand motivation, the better everything will go.
- Think about the perfect customer. This is a person you probably can imagine immediately. They’re the person that would be jazzed about what you do after you mention it once.
- If you’re thinking about someone you know, awesome. Write their name down. If you’re making this person up, name them. This is important.
- Write a brief biography of this person: How old are they? Where do they live? What’s their schooling experience? About how much money do they make? Are they single/married/married with kids? How old are their kids? Etc.
- Complete the profile of this perfect customer by writing about what they care about: Family? Friends? Their kids? Looking cool? Sounding smart? Security? Shopping local? Keep going here.
Now that you have a profile for your perfect customer, you’ve defined your audience. Craft all your content for this person. Use their name in your drafts. Address them in your emails. After finishing a project, ask yourself, “What would [insert name here] think about this?”
She or he is the most important person in your company.