I’ve just spent 15 minutes trying to work out which song from the Taylor Swift Eras tour Erica wanted to listen to this morning.
She kept repeating a line from it (but it was her 4-year-old version of the line that she’d heard). She tried to describe the outfit Taylor was wearing during the song (but again that wasn’t very clear). And she did the dance moves (again, her 4-year-old version of the dance moves).
15 minutes of frustration later, I finally opened Spotify on my phone, and got her to scroll through the songs…
Turned out she wanted Dua Lipa’s Dance The Night…
Yeah.
So that was fun.
The challenge of understanding your audience in business
I was absolutely convinced that she wanted one particular thing – based on what she was saying (and dancing).
But I was wrong.
I needed to look a little deeper to discover what would actually solve her problem (and give me 5 minutes of peace and quiet!)
And yes, I am going to turn this into an analogy about running your business and understanding your audience.
Because that’s what I do. And if you were bored of it then you’d have left my list by now!
Your future clients are searching desperately for someone who understands them, who speaks their language, understands their struggles, and takes into account their background, experience, barriers, visions, hopes, and dreams.
They’re desperate to be understood.
But it can be pretty hard to work out what they’re on about sometimes.
Why understanding your audience is crucial for business success
And then, when we launch our new course, service, or product (in response to what we think they want) and we’re not bowled over by a stampede towards the sales page…
Well, it can be a little frustrating.
We read the comments! We chatted with people about their struggles! We looked at the SEO! We turned our testimonials into Canva graphics for goodness sake!
But what people say, isn’t always what they mean.
Understanding your audience isn’t just about hearing their words; it’s about decoding their true needs and desires. It’s the difference between a launch that fizzles and one that sizzles, between a product that collects dust and one that flies off the shelves.
3 Strategies for mastering the art of understanding your audience
So, as I bop along to Dua Lipa (it’s a tune, don’t get me wrong!), here are some tips to really finding out what your audience wants:
Ask the Right Questions: When people finish your programmes, or you offboard them at the end of an engagement, don’t just ask them how it went. Testimonials that say “You were fab!” are not helpful to future you trying to develop and sell a new thing. Think about asking why they came looking for you, or what problems they were looking to solve. Or consider asking them for a specific example of how your thing changed their life.
Here’s an article I wrote on the most useful questions you can ask your clients.
Look for Patterns: It’s time to get out the murder board. Understanding your audience means looking for those red threads. Pull together all your feedback, and look for patterns. What transformations are common? What problems pop up all over the place? What language are they using to describe both of these things? These are golden nuggets that you can use to shape your offers, write your copy, and connect more effectively with your ideal client.
Get an Outsider’s Perspective: Your programme, service, whatever, is your baby. You are inclined to think it’s the most beautiful thing that’s ever existed (when everyone else might think its nose is a little weird). So, when it comes to developing a new thing, grab someone you respect, tell them about your audience, show them that spreadsheet full of feedback, and ask them what they think. I can guarantee they’ll see something you don’t. Or have a perspective that sparks ideas in your brain. (If you’d like me to be the objective baby viewer (weird?), then you can book a free strategy call here)
Understanding your audience means business growth
Once you’ve gathered these insights, it’s time to put them to work.
Use the patterns you’ve identified to refine your offerings. Speak directly to the problems your audience is actually facing, not just the ones you think they have. And don’t be afraid to make a pivot. If you’ve been talking non-stop about self-belief, and it turns out your clients really value the supportive community you’ve built – take a breath and talk about this instead.
When you truly working at understanding your audience, you can create products and services that feel tailor-made for them – because they are.
When to call in the experts
Yes, this all sounds like a lot of work. Because it is.
Yes, the value it brings to your business, in terms of clearer communication, confidence in speaking about your business, and in actual increased revenue, is incalculable.
But we all only have so many hours in the day, and very different skillsets. Which is why my clients bring me in to help.
If you work with me on a launch, website, or anything really, the first thing I’ll do is deep research to make sure you’re understanding your audience (without you having to lift a finger). I’ll ask the questions, do the surveys (and analyse the results), run client interviews, and work out exactly what is going to work.
So if you’d rather let someone else work out what the confused 4-year-olds are saying, while you get on with the things you enjoy about your business, then we should talk.
Tuning into your audience’s real song
Like finally figuring out which song your 4-year-old wants to hear, understanding your audience takes patience, creativity, and sometimes a little outside help. But when you get it right, the results are music to your ears (and your bank account).
Ready to start truly understanding your audience? Schedule a free strategy call right here
Your audience is singing their song. It’s up to you to learn the lyrics.