Struggling to Define Target Audience

15 replies
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my message.

I want to start my own business as an affiliate marketer selling info products to the baby boomer generation. The problem is I do not know how to define my target audience. I have read lots of articles online about how to do this but I still feel like a piece of the jigsaw is missing and I really don't know where to turn for help.

I am basically looking to target people over 55 who want to start an online business. This is where I am stuck tho, as I do not know how to drill this down further.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
#audience #define #struggling #target
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  • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
    Hey that's awesome stuff...that you are actually trying to determine your 'target' market.

    Most people online have no idea who their real audience is.

    Well to find yours...

    Start looking at yourself and the answers will start to come.

    Your real target market are people just like you.
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    • Profile picture of the author tomatomoon
      Thanks Rory, I will try this.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by Rory Singh View Post

      Hey that's awesome stuff...that you are actually trying to determine your 'target' market.

      Most people online have no idea who their real audience is.

      Well to find yours...

      Start looking at yourself and the answers will start to come.

      Your real target market are people just like you
      .
      I think I get what you are saying, Rory. But sometimes your target market is not just like you.

      Many times not at all. For instance, the OP could be a generation Xer or a Millennial trying to market to Baby Boomers.And those people would NOT be just like her.

      Remember, you are not always your market
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      • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        I think I get what you are saying, Rory. But sometimes your target market is not just like you.

        Many times not at all. For instance, the OP could be a generation Xer or a Millennial trying to market to Baby Boomers.And those people would NOT be just like her.

        Remember, you are not always your market
        I hear you Robert. Yes maybe she's targeting a different age group.

        I make sales from people from all walks of life...different genders...different race and even different age groups.

        But I ask them...why me?

        (I have to speak to people / clients because I offer coaching to affiliates who buy my products and systems)

        Out of all the different people selling similar stuff...why did you choose me?

        And most of the time they reply...

        "You said or did something online that 'resonated' with me."

        So for me personally, I have success with marketing to people (like minded) similar to myself.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    Anne,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Targeting an audience is critical to success. Most people new to IM think that casting a very wide net is the way to go - so you'll have a very large pool of people to sell to. Generally, however, that is not the best mindset for solo entrepreneurs like most of us here.

    The broader the audience, the larger the competition for their attention and the more dissimilar their needs and wants will be. Instead, go after a homogeneous audience (everyone is like-minded and seeking the same things). That usually entails doing deep into a niche and focusing on very specific needs/wants/desires. This approach makes IM easier because all of your audience has the same issues and wants and they should all be interested in your offers (you should make sure you know what it is they are seeking).

    One of my favorite online resources is the Dummies series of books. They have thousands of titles and they know what sells. Go to their site and see what books are available for small business owners and entrepreneurs. They have their finger on the pulse of this marketplace. You will get some niche ideas here.

    Another great resource is Amazon books and the Kindle marketplace. It's easy to search on the "most popular" and "best selling" books within categories. Spend some time there and you will learn the sub-categories that are popular and where books sell freely. Dig deep and you will find the problems and issues that are being talked about. Think of these books as solutions to problems that many people are trying to overcome.

    One other favorite quick resource: The Niche Intelligence Report (free download). It's a short pdf that talks about the online niches that are "evergreen" - those that are popular and don't go away! If you drill down into some of the sub-niches suggested there, you will be tapping into topics that you can grow an audience around that will support your business.

    There are other ways to target an audience - these are just a few ideas that have helped me to understand why it's important to always start a business venture by defining a specific audience before you think about products or services you might sell. The audience will tell you what they want if you ask them and then listen carefully.

    The very best to you.

    Steve
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    Steve Browne, online business strategies, tips, guidance, and resources
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    • Profile picture of the author tomatomoon
      What a fantastic place this forum is! Quality. Thank you so much, Steve, you have given me plenty to think about and work with, much, much appreciated.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by tomatomoon View Post

    I am basically looking to target people over 55 who want to start an online business. This is where I am stuck tho, as I do not know how to drill this down further.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    I did some research on this very same market not long ago.

    Over 55? That one's easy.

    Who want to start an online business? Way too vague. Start with these questions, and feel free to add more as you think of them. Then ask your self, how could you best help this group, or even if you can?

    > Why do they want to start a business?
    > Why online?
    > How much do they want to make?
    > How much time do they want to invest?
    > What kind of business might they want to start?

    Once you have what might be a very long list of answers, start sifting and sorting to find the sub-group that you can help the best, that is actively looking for such help, and is willing and able to pay for said help.

    What's left is your target audience.
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  • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
    You've had some great replies here.

    But to throw my hat in the ring...

    Define your market by their goal. What is the driving reason your market wants or better yet NEEDS to start an online business?

    Is it that they want supplemental retirement income?

    To use it to invest towards retirement now and supplement later?

    To get 'flush' now by paying everything off before retirement and having extra later too?

    It's most likely a combination of these things.

    So, define your audience/niche/market by their goals and market to people wjo want that desired outcome or goal.

    Sell the goal, not the business. People don't buy drills because they want to have a drill. They buy a drill because they need to make a hole.

    Sell/pitch the end result not the drill.

    Sit and think. What is my niches ultimate desire?

    Once you know that, then think; what is their biggest problem in getting there?

    Solve that problem, sell the end result and you'll do well.

    Patrick
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    The Secret To Success In Any Business
    Yes, Any Business!
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    • Profile picture of the author tomatomoon
      Patrick, big, big thank you for this. You have simplified for me something I was really struggling to get a grasp of. I'm thrilled.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Alves
    I think you need to focus on what a 55 year old is trying to achieve from having an online business. I think the two most important questions you need to know are these:

    1) Do they want a part time income or a full time income?
    2) How much money and time do they have for an online business?

    Once you figure out these two questions, you will be able to determine what type of products that you can promote and how you want to market to this age group.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris19h
    This is one of the hardest but more necessary parts of building your business. My suggestion, make up people.

    What I mean by this is you should make up different personas. Name, DOB, where they work, how many kids, married? What kind of car, where they shop, what they wear, income, home owners, and personality traits. I even go as far as finding fake profile images to use for these people.

    This helps a lot. This way when you are writing your copy you are writing it for "Jane", not yourself. Every line you write you can ask yourself if Jane would read this. You can look at her profile and decide.

    Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author positivethoughts
    Hi Tomatomoon, are you thinking of creating products for this group of people or are you intending on selling existing info products to them?
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  • Profile picture of the author rbates
    Part of your information says that you want to do affiliate marketing.

    Another thing that you might consider is to go to some of the affiliate
    sites (Warrior Marketplace, JVZoo, Clickbanck, etc.) and see what
    is out there. You may get some ideas from that. At least you will
    know what is available.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    Originally Posted by tomatomoon View Post

    Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my message.

    I want to start my own business as an affiliate marketer selling info products to the baby boomer generation. The problem is I do not know how to define my target audience. I have read lots of articles online about how to do this but I still feel like a piece of the jigsaw is missing and I really don't know where to turn for help.

    I am basically looking to target people over 55 who want to start an online business. This is where I am stuck tho, as I do not know how to drill this down further.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    I'd target an audience based on their wants, needs, and pain points. Always write as if you're speaking to just one person and addressing their problem(s). Also, I try to keep my advice specific. One solution for one problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    Targeting baby boom generation for ... what?

    I mean it should be different depending on your squeeze page, product etc.

    It's a long term niche? has potential in a continuous basis?

    However, go to Facebook Ads and target that range of ages.
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