What girl doesn't love a hand and foot soak in that warm soapy water, a file and buff, cleaning of the cuticles, and then a massage with hand cream (the best!)? All topped off with a coat of nude, blush, or red polish.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with your business...
Ever been searching for something in the wrong place?
That's often what happens when it comes to your target market... you go looking for your audience in all the wrong places.
We'll get to the mani-pedi in a sec, but first here's the first tip on how to find your target market...
1. Get very specific.
True story... a woman in a Facebook group who was seeking advice described her target market this way:
She's a 40ish career woman who needs to destress.
I think it was pretty evident from this description that she didn't know who she was targeting because this is so general, it could apply to anyone.
Be very clear in your description - at least for your own understanding.
You won't share this when you write copy, but it will give you a very good sense of who you are talking to.
So for this example...
What's her exact age?
What kind of career is she in?
Why does she need to destress? (Does she hate her boss? Have too much work and need help? Have a family at home she needs to provide for? Want to leave the office at a reasonable hour to spend with her boyfriend? Want time off to go on girls' trips?)
The best way to get really descriptive with your ICA is to imagine writing a character for a movie. These characters are like real people - with a name, age, birthplace, things they like and hate, idiosyncrasies, mannerisms etc...
Sit down and write out the specificities on why this person is the way they are.
2. Find your target market in a target rich environment.
If you're a woman looking to meet a man to date, you don't go to nail salons, brunches, day spas, or on girls' trips...
This obviously skews girly.
I mean, would you really look for a guy in a nail salon?
Normally, that's not a target rich environment for men.
Where would you find them instead?
At a steak house, sports bar, golf tournament, basketball game...
So you want to go where all the men hang out...
... just like you want to go where your target market do.
Don't go to places where you know they won't be because you'll be like the woman looking for a man at a nail salon instead of a steakhouse.
Knowing who they are, where would they spend their time online?
Think logically about the FB groups they might be in.
Maybe your ICA is a woman who makes handmade soaps.
She'll probably be on Pinterest and Instagram because they're more visual mediums and probably in crafty seller, creative type FB groups.
It's not always easy to find your target market, but once you know them well and find the places they frequent, it will be a million times better than the most perfect mani-pedi.
Need more help identifying your ideal customer? I go over all of it in my brand new book, The Essential Guide To Your First Month Of Online Marketing. You can check it out here.
Who is your target market?
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