In order to maximize potential sales, we often make the mistake of trying to reach the widest audience as possible.

Who’s your ideal customer?
Well, virtually anyone could use our product. So men and women age 18+.

The problem with this strategy is that you have to tailor your marketing to be applicable to anyone as well. So you have to communicate at the lowest common denominator. You have to be “middle of the road,” by definition. What we find, more often than not, is that the only thing that can really sway such a wide group is price. And we all know that price leadership is ultimately a losing battle for all but the companies with the most resources.

So it’s critical to narrow your focus to your ideal customer. Understand that doesn’t mean that if you target only your ideal customer, no one else will buy from you. Your marketing could very well reach and appeal to them too. However, this exercise helps you to concentrate your efforts more efficiently.

Use this exercise to prune the edges of your audience to get to your core customer. Ask yourself the following four questions.

1. Who doesn’t reasonably have adequate resources they would be willing to use to purchase your offering?

2. Who doesn’t really have a strong need for your offering?

3. Who is too difficult to reach with your marketing budget?

4. Who is completely satisfied with less than your offering?

Probe further with each of these questions by eliminating types of audiences until you get to your true core.