Many of my readers have already honed in on their perfect audience. My client Bob decided to go all-in on dentists years ago and that has paid off in spades. Sarah loves non-profits, especially in health care. Kendal is loved by bankers. And Frank is all in on sales audiences.
Defining your perfect audience is a crucial step in picking a lane. As I have explained many times in the past, choosing a specific topic area to speak about – and knowing who you want to deliver that speech to – is necessary if you want to win as a professional speaker.
I realize that some of you haven’t figured out your perfect audience yet. That’s okay. But let’s get to work on it TODAY!
Sorting Through So Many Options
There are so many meetings happening every day that need speakers. It’s really great news for people who want to earn a living in this business. But it can also be overwhelming.
Think about it. Every day, at every hotel across America, Canada and around the world, there are names on the doors of groups that are meeting. And the true hustlers among us will actually poke their head in the door and get the name of the person in charge of speakers for that meeting. That’s commitment!
But running after any and all speaking gigs isn’t the right approach either.
If you have ever found yourself speaking in front of the wrong crowd, that’s okay. As I explain in this article, sometimes finding the perfect audience starts with walking away from a bad fit!
However, if you want to avoid a bad experience and nail down your perfect audience early on, read on for some great tips.
8 Questions for Finding Your Perfect Audience
Our lead coach in The Wealthy Speaker School, Jen McDonough, was searching for her ideal audience at the beginning of her career and learned early on that people who serve their communities are a great fit for her. Community service is a value that Jen holds near and dear to her heart. And aligned values between you and your audience is a great first step.
So let’s say you are trying to figure out your audience too. Where do you begin? Jen says you should start by filling out your “Audience Template.” Grab your free download now:
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When determining where to fish for speaking engagements, consider some of these questions about your audience. (You’ll find these also in this download of the Avatar/Audience Template worksheet.)
- Who do you love? And who loves you?
- Where is your sweet spot?
- Who do you want to help? And who needs your help?
- Is there a regional limit (based on where you want/don’t want to travel)?
- Which audiences will pay the fees you are looking for?
- Does the gender of the audience matter?
- Is there a market where you have worked in the past? (lawyer, doctor, dentist, engineer, nurse, hospitality, travel, etc.)
After you’ve answered these initial questions, then it’s time to think about your audience in a different way. I think this part of the exercise may surprise you!
- Which groups are you most attracted to?
- Left brain thinkers
- Right brain thinkers
- Volunteer – non-profit workers
- Blue-collar employees
- Managers or white-collar employees
- C-suite
- Gender-specific audiences
- People who help others – caregivers, social workers, nurses, nursing home employees or managers
- Community service workers – healthcare, first responders, 911 operators, police, firefighters, ambulance drivers
- People who have autonomy (run their own show under the umbrella of a larger company) like real estate, financial planners, bankers, mortgage brokers, insurance
Identifying your perfect audience has a lot to do with understanding yourself—your values, priorities, goals, and ultimately who you (and your message) will ‘click’ with.
Over the next week, do a little soul searching and fill out your Avatar/Audience Template worksheet. It is bound to bring you closer to finding your perfect audience, and building a speaking business that brings true meaning to your life.
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
