Know your Audience Before you Write your Book or Web Site

Judy Cullins ©2002

If you want happy customers to use your service or buy your product, you need to focus on their needs and desires.

Unhappy customers leave when they can't find what they want--benefits and an easy way to buy. Perhaps your site has barriers you don't realize. If anything is difficult, customers will leave and give their business to someone else.

Know your audience and write headlines that Wow them. Know your Audience Before you Write your Book or Web site Copy

Before you list those benefits--you must know your particular audience. Who will buy your book? What are their biggest fears--their worries? What problem do they have that you can solve?

Know their Assumptions about You and Your Product. What is their number one life's dream? What are their assumptions about your subject or service? What are their excuses for not acting on what they want? Do they think your product is too much money? They don't trust you yet? Do they think there is no hurry? Do they think they don't have the time to implement your skills?

Three Types of Audiences

1. The Narrow--one specific target market. No, not everyone will want your book. These folks have a common need or problem. Your product or service will solve that problem. For instance, www.stopyourdivorce.com's product already has its audience. They are compelled to buy because you are answering their one biggest need. They will buy on the spot.

When all else has failed them, they want a cure right now because of their pain and discomfort. They don't want prevention. A good example is men--they don't want to prevent prostate problems, but once they are diagnosed with a problem, want a cure right now.

2. Short-Cut Time and Money Investment for a big payoff. The audience wants a roadmap to where he or she wants to go--fast! For instance, my ebooks and print books show professionals how to shorten their journey to book publishing and promotion.

3. Massive passionate audience. These are the readers of the Chicken Soup servies. Think about the 68 million sold so far, and the authors didn't even have to write the book. Full of inspirational short stores, the massive audience responds. It's the sheer volume of sales like the the 70 million who show Wal-Mart every day. One client wrote a how-to book aimed at the now 70million baby boomers out there called Put Old on Hold. She's an inspiration herself--looks and feels like a 50--year old.

Who is your particular audience? Make sure you know them, inside and out.

How old are they? Male? Female? Age? Baby boomers? Seniors? Entrepreneurial? Corporate? Are they middle or upper class? What kind of work do they do? What is their income? What do they spend discretionary time and money on? Where do they live? What books and magazines do they read? What different attitudes do these reflect?

What are their interests, hobbies, and values? What challenges do they face that they want answers to? Are they business people, retired people, over 50? What magazines do they read? What radio shows do they listen to? What TV programs do they watch? What do they do with their free time? What events do they attend?

What organizations do they belong to? What causes do they support? Are they Internet savvy? What kinds of sites do they visit? How many of them are out there to sell to? What do they want? Need?

Go to your library or use the Internet to research just who and how many people belong to your audience. Ask for the reference books that have census and other information. All agents and publishers will want this information from you. And your Web site must target its promotion aimed at your particular audience. The more narrow the target, the easier it is to sell.

Even if you publish a book or create your Web site yourself, do some market research. My research helps my clients who write books or have Web sites that sell similar products and services as mine: 45 million readers read new age books, 70 million baby boomers and 60 million seniors are out there. They buy online, too.

So go ahead and create your audience profile. Keep it in a file so you can add more qualities when you think of them.

Discover why you are your audiences' best choice and tell them!

Perhaps you are like me and don't feel competitive. Yet, you need to let your audiences know why you are different and better. How are you or your product unique?

When you know your audience, you'll be able to write compelling copy that pulls your visitors to buy your product or service.