Attracting Your Ideal Audience Is A Lot Like Dating
Attracting your ideal audience is a lot like dating.
It's not about forcing someone to be with you, it's about drawing them in and seeing if they're the right match for you. It's a dialogue of getting to know one another until feelings become involved. That's when things start to become serious and we investigate the possibility of love and faithfulness. If both parties honor this, it can lead to a long-term relationship.
Brands abide by the same rules: a loyal relationship based on consistency, respect, and attraction takes time. You can't expect to go on a date and get married in a week, and the same goes for brands. A like or a follow won't automatically turn into a customer. You have to plant the seeds and be patient. (While keep watering the seeds obviously)
The first essential step is to have clarity on who you are targeting.
Are they female or male? College students or adults? What age range? Do they own a house or rent? What do they value? What shows, music, pop culture, and brands do they consume? The more information you have, the better. Knowing your target audience is key to creating offers that are irresistible to them. When you create something people need, selling becomes much easier.
Once you know your audience well, ask yourself: Where are they?
Are they active on Instagram? Or perhaps Facebook? Maybe they're inspired by Pinterest and pin regularly. Maybe they don't use social media at all and only use a computer for searching and watching YouTube videos.
You need to be where they are. What's the point of being on a platform that won't attract the right audience? It's like trying to find a husband on Tinder—the odds aren't in your favor.
First impressions are essential,
whether we like it or not.
It's not just about the way we look, but also our actions and words. Our brains are wired to pick up on potential danger, so it's a risk mechanism. For example, if we see a disheveled person on the street, we may assume they are homeless and in need. Even if we're wrong, we'll still be cautious.
The same applies to brands. If their online presence isn't professional-looking, people may be hesitant to engage with them, even if they have a great product or service. The presentation of the brand will have an effect, and it should be either neutral or positive to get a second chance.
There has to be a connection
Interest from both parties for a conversation to happen. After the first impression is made, it's time for a second date. This is when you can get to know each other and determine if there is mutual interest. The biggest mistake I see in both dating and branding is not being authentic and true to oneself. It's easy to pretend to like things you don't, but this isn't sustainable in the long run. Eventually, expectations won't be met and disappointment will follow. So stay true to who you are and create based on what you believe.
Once a connection is established and both parties are interested, it's time to be consistent.
“Feelings develop when we are present, accountable, and reliable.”
Show up for your audience and deliver content that is valuable to them. Do this regularly and you will start to build trust. As you continue to give your audience what they need, you will start to build a strong relationship with them.
With time and consistency, you will create a lasting impression in your customer's heads, and when the opportunity comes along, they will not hesitate to jump on it, or at least recommend someone to you.
This is when the attraction becomes something else, and we call it loyalty.
In order to be attractive to your audience, you have to first define who they are, what they want and how you can be of help. We advice creating buyer personas or avatars to help you get familiarized with who you are talking and creating for. Learn more about our Strategy process here.
IF YOU FOUND SOMETHING INSPIRING, INTRIGUING, OR ENCOURAGING IN THIS JOURNAL ENTRY—I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW!
Send me a message in the DMs or contact me to inquire about working together. I can’t wait to keep the conversation going.
