Before making one telephone call or placing any advertising or putting one word
to press release or promotional copy, spend time clearly defining your target
audience. Don't worry about your message and content at this point. It's
critical to first identify your ideal customer or client.

Who wants and needs what you have to offer? The only wrong answer is “everyone."
You want a niche, and the more focused the better.

When looking at your target audience, visualize one person and capture as much
detail as possible about that person. Get inside his/her head and become an
expert in his/her daily life. Top 10 questions to ask:

1. What is their gender?
2. What is their age range?
3. What is their income?
4. What is their family structure? Married, single, parent?
5. What do they read?
6. Where do they shop?
7. What is their level of education?
8. What are their hobbies?
9. When are they most attentive?
10. What keeps them awake at night?

Once you've defined a representative of your target market, write or speak
directly to that person. Your words will be more personal and persuasive - and
much more likely to get results. Don't waste time on those who fall outside
your target market. It's best to focus your efforts on that small segment that
will motivate you to do your very best work.

Action Step:

Who is your target audience? Write down as much detail as possible, even going
so far as to give that person a name, age, job and family structure. What
product or service might benefit them? How will you reach your ideal target
market?

If you're challenged by this exercise, sign up today for our free audio that
walks you, step by step, through the process of identifying your core target
audience. Simply sign up at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com. You'll save
thousands of dollars and countless hours of frustration by clearly defining
your ideal client and learning how to craft your messages and marketing efforts
toward your target market.

© 2006 Boost Your Bottom Line