I’m in the middle of working on a romance novel—total fodder for my creative side, far away from logical business work. (Don’t think smart women read romance? Check out Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. The writing also gives me a chance to think about developing characters. Why is it they do what they do? And what on earth do they want?
You need to do the same with your target market. We’re all on this earth following some path—whether it’s a heroic journey, or trying to eke out an existence in these turbulent economic times. What does your service or product do that helps people live out their lives day by day? What benefit does it give them?
A book many aspiring writers read is The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler. Vogler talks about the journey a book’s hero must take as well as the world’s he or she travels through. What is her need? The needs of others around her? How does he view the world—safe or unsafe? Does his view change over time? What makes his view change?
These are the kinds of questions you need to ask about your target market. You need to get a clear picture of him or her—well beyond the typical demographic information of age, education, income, etc. Pretend you’re writing a novel. What is driving your target market and where are they going? Create a picture of your target—maybe drawing and creating a collage of their world. Where do you and your company fit in that world.
Use your imagination and have fun! Let me know what your target market looks like!
