To find new customers, identifying and understanding the target audience for your business is key to success. Don’t feel intimidated by the word audience! We’re talking about families, children, and caregivers in your community who you want to inspire, communicate, and market your business too. If you’re a new children’s activity provider, you might not know who your audience is yet, and that’s ok! You can start to understand your audience by recognizing  the problem you are solving, identifying the customers you want to attract, and connecting to data as your business grows. Start here and you’ll be on your way to understanding your customers and the best ways to connect with them.

Understanding the Problem You are Solving in Your Community

If you’ve listened to any TED talks or business podcasts, the most successful entrepreneurs always mention the problem they were trying to solve when first starting out. Chances are, you had a similar reason or “WHY” for launching your business. Was it because of a lack of quality children’s activity programming in your area? Did you seek to create a fun clean and safe space due to limited options in the community? Were you frustrated by the non-qualified educators running similar types of programs? Identifying the problem you are solving is the first step to figuring out the type of customer you want to attract.

Start by inserting yourself in the following customer narrative. Imagine that you’re a parent or caregiver and fill in the blanks: 

• I am a parent looking for ________. 
• I am going to search for this service by ___________.
• The service I am looking for must be/needs to have________ qualities because ________.
• I am comparing this service to ___________.

Now, reflect back on the story you’ve created and see what solutions your business provides to families and the ways that it can inspire their children. You want your offerings to be a need to have experience for your customers. Think of the ways your business can impact a child’s sense of wonder, foster curiosity, and create an inclination towards discovery. Don’t forget to dig deeper into customer pain points. Examine your own personal experiences and interview families to identify their biggest challenges and how you can help to solve for their needs and not just their wants. 

Whether you’re a new or veteran business owner, understanding the competitive landscape is pivotal. Browse other businesses in your area to pinpoint gaps in their offerings and services, see what they do well, and read customer reviews to get a gut check on the experiences families have had with their services. This information will help you understand your unique offerings and the ways in which you can exceed  the customer’s need. By understanding your competition, you can create a narrative that inspires and endears customers. Take note of all things exemplary!

Customer Personas 101: Define Your Audience + Grow Your Business 

Customer personas are a wonderful way to define your audience in terms of demographics, responsibilities, and interests. A thoughtfully prepared customer persona will give you a target and direction, and can be used to better personalize your marketing messaging and outreach to the families that inspire you.

Think about yourself, family, friends, and your favorite customers. Write down the qualities and traits that you love about them. This will help you identify specific information about each persona such as:

• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• Where do they live?
• What are their current struggles?
• What are their current interests?
• How can you help them do it better?
• What is their life like with your product/services? 
• What would their life be without your product/services?

Now think about how these customer traits apply across your various services and offerings. Do you offer birthday parties and classes? Is there a difference in a customer looking for one or the other? Is the solution the same or different for each service? Answering these questions helps tailor your products and services to each customer. 

The No Fail Way to Discover the Right Customers for Your Business

Listing your children’s activities in a business directory or online marketplace can feel overwhelming. It may seem like you are just one fish in a sea of options. So how do you make sure your business stands out and how do you select the perfect marketplace for your business?

Great news! By identifying your target audience, you’ll get a better sense of what customers you are looking for and which channels will help them find you. Find your perfect customer fit, grow your business, and impact your community by using marketplaces. Click here to see how the Sawyer Marketplace helps to connect businesses’ with their perfect customers. 

Listing your business on directories and customer marketplaces is a super simple and cost-effective digital marketing technique! Listings are a no brainer for new businesses because they:

• Connect you to local customers
• Increase your online presence
• Give your business increased visibility
• Are cost effective
• Improve brand recognition

The more a business can do to identify and connect with the right customers, the more successful their marketing efforts will be. Stay tuned for new ways to target your customers through segmented email lists and tailoring your marketing messaging.