When trying to define their target custormer, if some companies answer things like “everyone who needs training” or “everyone who uses the Internet”, then they don’t have a target customer. If you try to appeal to everyone when you launch a product or service, you’ll probably end up speaking to no one. This is because you’ll cast your net too wide and fail to appeal to different (and often contradictory) interests or desires.

“How do I get more customers?” or “How do I get my company in front of the right people?” Same coin. Different sides.

It seems that these organizations feel that, if they identify a target audience, they’re implying that individuals outside of that target group won’t want anything from them. When, in fact, there will always be people outside of your core audience that will have an interest in their product or service. Those customers are perfectly okay with being outside of your target demographic. And businesses should be as well.

No matter what you think or what anybody’s told you, the fact is not everyone is your customer. Everybody is not our ideal customer. Targeting messaging will help us though, to attract our ideal customers. Your product, your service, your business isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s better than okay. It’s perfect.

Because when you try to please everyone you please no one. Think of your favorite product. Their parent company doesn’t market to everyone. They market to you. You. That’s the key. We, as a people, are a different breed of consumers and our attention is all over the place.

Summing-up: If your target audience is everyone, you do not have a target audience. The value of popularity is changing. Niche is in. Small is the new big. Boil down who your product is really for. You can’t be everything to everyone.