Your audience is the group of people who most benefit from what you have to offer. They could be investors or customers. Believers or supporters. They could even be people who love what you do so much they spread the word - ie. the people who will help get your name and business out there. 

Assuming you became an entrepreneur because you had something to give the world, your audience is not only why you do what you do, but they are part of how you do it.  They are the validation for the methods and order you create to most effectively reach them. If you know who you want to reach, you can figure out how to reach them. 

There are some business owners and entrepreneurs who are okay with saying “Everyone is my audience” and I understand the sentiment. Your business is open to everyone, but if we’re honest, there is a very specific group of people who really want what you’ve got and it’s imperative that you find them. 

They Need You

Your audience needs you. They need the products and services you provide but they also need your philosophies, leadership, and belief. They need your energy and your rhetoric. 

Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur who sells art or a business that provides content marketing, the people who patronize you need your help. It’s a win-win situation when your business can actually solve a problem or fulfill a need, you are useful and have a better chance of making money and impact. Otherwise, why do you exist? 

You Create Community 

When you find your audience, you’ve found your community. You’ve found the people who will patronize your business, build your teams, and be the biggest advocates for your products. Most of all, you’ll find the reason why you started your business in the first place. 

Some say, to serve others is the greatest reason for being alive. It’s a debate we can save for another time, but it rings true to me. To find your audience is to serve your audience and to serve them is to know that something you’ve created is valuable to an entire community. That’s powerful. 

You Save Time + Energy 

Wasting your energy targeting the wrong group of people could cost you your business and even your joy. It’s exhausting trying to cater to a person or group of people who don’t fit into your tribe. It’s much easier and pleasant to find those who are looking for you and give them every ounce of energy you can afford to give. 

Do you know who your audience is? Are you clear on what they need and why? If I asked you who they are and the best way to reach them, would you have an answer?