Two truths:
"Hard work leads to success"
"You've been working really hard on your business"
Two lies:
"Hard work leads to success"
"You've been working hard on your business"
This cute little hamster is working extremely hard. But he isn't actually accomplishing anything. He thinks he is making progress, getting somewhere - but it's an illusion. Sometimes hard work feels like progress.
So, hard work doesn't always lead to success.
Lie #1 explained:
There are some townspeople who want to travel to a neighboring island. They seem excited about it and are willing to pay good money for this trip. You see a business opportunity, so you decide to set up a ferry service.
People want to travel, and you have the skills to build something that will take them to the neighboring island. This will make you millions! You're excited and you get to work!
You spend years building the best ferry ever. You even pay a specialist to paint your family name on the side of it. You're in business! It's a source of pride as it sits glistening in the sunshine at the dock.
Your big, beautiful ferry is amazing! You worked really hard to make it comfortable, safe, and perfectly hospitable to transport people to the neighboring island.
You send out flyers and do town cries to let everyone know ferry rides are now available!
No one comes.
You send out louder town cries and print bigger flyers - you also send them out three times a day instead of just once.
No one ever turns up.
You feel defeated. Years of hard work down the drain. You tell everyone that your business failed. The once gleaming source of pride is now a sad reminder that "business is not for you."
You see yourself as a failure and never dream of starting a business again.
In reality, the townspeople are all afraid of boats and would have preferred a bridge.
If you had just asked a few questions (target audience research), you would have known and saved yourself so much money and precious time.
Instead, you worked very hard on a solution for the wrong set of people.
Recently, I posted on Instagram about how similar relationships and business are. Imagine trying to plan a surprise party for someone you know nothing about.
It would be a disaster, right?
The people who buy from you effortlessly (without haggling for discounts or disappearing six times before purchasing only because it's on sale) should be your IDEAL customers.
These are the ones who say, "OMG, I've been searching for something like this for so long!"
To create that kind of reaction, you need to know your customers inside and out. Understand their problems, needs, and desires so deeply that your business becomes the perfect solution they've been waiting for.
As a business coach, I helped my client stand out in the crowded world of Instagram swimsuit accounts, by focusing on a specific, underserved market.
Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, we zeroed in on plus-size, belly-conscious curvy queens. We developed a unique brand that didn't just offer swimsuits, but also included stylish throws and cover-ups designed to elegantly conceal or distract from the middle section.
To further connect with their audience, we incorporated motivating quotes that reminded every customer, "Beauty has no size." This message resonated deeply with their target market.
Most businesses offer sizes ranging from S to 4X, but when plus-size women see this, they often feel overlooked, especially since traditional stores rarely provide great styles for larger sizes. My client’s brand broke away from this norm. By focusing exclusively on plus-size customers, they created a safe space where these women felt seen, understood, and prioritized.
The results?
She successfully built a brand that not only understood the unique needs and feelings of her target audience but also made them feel beautiful and confident. This specialized approach led to a loyal customer base and a thriving business.
You can do that by drafting a Buyer Persona Worksheet for your target audience where you get to brainstorm their pain points and plan content that caters to their every need - not just what you feel like posting.
This makes all the difference.
I've made this really cool and straightforward worksheet (plus tutorials) for you to finally define your target audience and get better results from your content by being more specific with your messages.
Tap here to check it out.
This brings us to:
Lie #2 explained:
"You've been working really hard on your business"
Sometimes we think we are doing everything we can to succeed, but in reality there are crucial parts of the business being overlooked.
Even though it feels better intuitively to spend more on inventory, ads and packaging, nothing sells well without good marketing.
Nothing at all!
That's why huge brands like Burger King Pepsi, Chanel and Nike still invest millions of dollars in marketing and target audience research.
You can start today by understanding exactly how you customer wants to feel when they buy your products.
Instead of letting that shiny, beautiful boat of biz dreams get dull and tainted, give your business an actual chance for success by learning as much as you can to make it happen.
Rooting for you! 🥂
Stephie
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