If My Family and Friends Don't Support My Business, Who Will?

I hate this meme.

First of all, smile is spelled incorrectly. Secondly, WHO CARES? There are several reasons people buy or support a product, and the most important lesson you will learn in business is LEARNING HOW TO ACCEPT A NO. Maybe they found someone who has the same service at a better rate, maybe they just don't like whatever it is you are offering, maybe they don't really like you. SO WHAT? Your family can't be your only prospective support. As a matter of fact, if you are looking for the people you already know, to be the primary source of your support you have it all wrong. 

For the purpose of this lesson we are going to assume that the business you have decided to start that met our Qualifying Questions, provides a product as opposed to a service. In fact, I want this lesson to be as clear as possible so let's pick a product. You make soap. You're great at it, the soaps have all these great qualities for your skin, and on top of that they smell AMAZING. Currently, you don't have the funding to open a soap shop, so your first step in business will be selling your product to gain some startup money. Great idea. 

You went on all of your social media sites and told everyone that you make these amazing, skin healing, smells like heaven soaps. 2 out of the 853 friends you have bought your product. They loved it, they even posted about it. Then you went on all your social media sites again and told everyone how much both of your customers loved their soap, and asked for support . Nobody bought any soap. So then you went to Thanksgiving dinner and made your rounds and told all your aunties, uncles and cousins that you are now in business for yourself and Soap Me Up, is off to a great but slow start and you want them to buy some of your soap. At Thanksgiving dinner you had 4 sales. Then you run across this meme on Facebook. You feel discouraged because if your own family and friends don't support you, then who will? The answer is simple, your Target Market.

Identifying your Target Market

When identifying your Target Market, you need to be as specific as possible. For example, Soap Me Up includes soaps with ingredients that help with aging, soothing aches, and relaxation. Your Target is clearly a woman, concerned about aging, that probably juggles a lot of duties. In short, your Target Market would be "Women 35 to 55". However, in order to really identify and establish a customer base with your Target Market, this description must be taken to the next level. 

Here are some questions that you can start with to really get to know your Target Market. The more segments you can identify, the more potential you have for finding quality prospects. 

*Where does your Target like to shop?

*Where does your Target live? (local, regional, national &/or urban, suburban, rural)

*Marital/ Family status

*Income range

*Education range

*Occupation

*What type of personality does your Target have?

*What are their values?

*Interests/hobbies

*Lifestyles/behaviors

*What needs, pain points, or challenges do they have?

*How does your product/service help?

*What buying drivers do they have?

*What are some of the similar products/service they currently use?

*How are they best reached?

*Where do they hang out?

*What will be their biggest objection to doing business with you?

Once you REALLY know your Target, you can then begin creating a list of prospective clients. Now, it doesn't matter who does or doesn't support you, because you have started to identify the people who will. The next thing we'll talk about is your strategy to get them, and sell it.

Once again, Forbes Tip of the Day is befitting to what we've learned.

"You want to be original, you want to be yourself, and whether that’s accepted or not accepted, that’s not as important as being you."

-Tyler Hubbard

Stay encouraged, stick with me, there's more to come!