Knowing your target audience early on in the writing and publishing process is essential for fine-tuning your author platform and marketing efforts, as marketing and communications consultant Nicole Baker explains. The first thing writers must accept is that their book audience is not "everyone". The most successful writers understand who their primary audience is and focus their efforts accordingly. There are several questions that writers should ask themselves in order to help identify their target audience:
1) What makes your book stand out?
2) What is your end goal for your book - to entertain, to educate?
3) Who do you envision reading your book?
4) What motivates this reader and where are they present online?
In addition to answering these questions, Baker strongly suggests that writers research books that are similar to theirs to understand the types of readers that are drawn to their topic or genre.
My poems would probably be most resonant with people have grown kids and/or who've cared for their older parents (with dementia). What motivates my target reader? Family. Therapy. Self-awareness. Poetry. Language. People who've been through childhood trauma (Jesus, who hasn't?). Maybe my target audience is middle-aged and older--probably women. Does that sound narrow enough?
Great advice.
Thank you!
I want my book to reach the masses but who will want to read about me?
I have used prototypes of my book over the last 7 years, and am aware that currently it appears to be a niche, but when talking beyond this niche, people are really interested in the tool they use to work out if they are getting their life back on track. It is highly self directed, but provides the space to develop self understanding. I know now I have to develop the information regarding the book differently in the introduction, because what next after the self discovery occurs.
I can relate, My niche is also one that works out but everyone's situation is different so how does such a small , unique plot market itself to the general public
Interesting, I didn't know how relevant it is targeting audiences early and accurately. You have given something to think about when publishing a book, thank you so much.