Writing Information

Know your Audience Before you Write Your Book or Web Site

If you want happy customers to use your service or buy your book, you need to focus on their needs and desires.

Unhappy customers leave when they can't find what they want--benefits and an easy way to buy. Perhaps your site has barriers you don't realize. If anything is difficult, customers will leave and give their business to someone else. Know your audience and write headlines that Wow them.

Know your Audience Before you Write your Book or Web Site Copy

Before you list those benefits--you must know your particular audience. Who will buy your book? What are their biggest fears--their worries? What problem do they have that you can solve?

Know their Assumptions about You and Your Product. What is their number one life's dream? What are their assumptions about your subject or service? What are their excuses for not acting on what they want? Do they think your product is too much money? They don't trust you yet? Do they think there is no hurry? Do they think they don't have the time to implement your skills?

Which of These 5 Audiences Suits your Book, Programs, or Web Site?

1. The Audience you Meet in the Mirror

Authors write books because we love the ideas, the content, the skills we will share. We usually write the book for ourselves first. Have you heard, "I wrote the book I wanted to read?" Our passion for our topic can create success so long as we stay with a marketing and promotion plan for 2 plus years. Our audience in our seminars are like us. Web site too.

2. The Target Market Who Wants Answers Now.

No, not everyone will want your book, although many authors say so. Your target audience has a common need or problem. Your product or service will solve that problem. For instance, www.stopyourdivorce.com's book already has an audience who wants a solution now. They are desperate at this point, and will do anything. They will pay any price for your magic pill and will buy on the spot.

In just 2 years this site sold 150,000 books. The author answered the rejected spouses' dilemma compelling them to buy now.

Divorce often comes as a surprise, so without much time to negotiate, and because of great pain and discomfort, this audience wants a cure right now. It's only after the doctor announces a prostate serious problem that most men look for an answer. Prevention didn't appeal to them. Only the doctor's wake up call prompted action.

The more narrow the target, the particular angle your book or web site takes, the easier it is to sell

3. The Short-Cut Time and Money Investment for a Big Payoff.

This audience wants a roadmap to where he or she wants to go--fast! This audience wants to know how to do something-- to write a book, to make money Online, to promote their business Online, to put up a top-selling Web site. They also are looking for the least expensive way to accomplish their goals. No more money down the drain for them.

For instance, print and ebooks that show entrepreneurs a short cut to finish their books, and get them sold fast, so their cash flow builds big enough to multiply profits fast is the right audience for books about publishing, business or book promotion.

Once the book is near completion, how can authors make continuing sales that make up one-half of their income? Still relatively unused, the Internet provides this answer because of so little competition there.

4. The Massive Passionate Audience.

These are the readers of the Chicken Soup series. Think about the 70 million plus sold so far, and the authors didn't even have to write the book. Full of inspirational short stores, this audience responded well. The authors did, however, put on a full-blown marketing campaign for years.

Your book will have a lot of competition in this category, yet the sheer volume of sales like the 70 million who shop Wal-Mart every day can make up for that. One client wrote a how-to book aimed at the now 70 million baby boomers out there called "Put Old on Hold." She's an inspiration herself--looks and feels like 50.

Think about your book. Is one aim to entertain and inspire? Who do you want to visit your web site? If you know your audience and what they want, you will sell more than you imagined.

5. The Online Audience of Millions

If you are like me, you love your book(s) and want others to benefit from reading it. But, if you are discouraged at the number of sales through traditional methods, you may want to consider the Internet.

First, when you write for Online, you can offer your print book electronically, now known as an eBook. You need make only a few changes such as shortening up your chapter, paragraph and sentence length. Busy people who shop Online want their information concise, clear, and cohesive. They don't need long stories to learn a point.

This audience is more than happy to download and print out chapters of your book. They will appreciate your book in 81/2 by 11" form or other, and think total page length up to 99 acceptable. The savvy author can make many more sales by dividing and conquering. A 15-page chapter can become a short eBook. You also have a built in promotion machine in your book, because you excerpt short pieces to submit to Online ezines and Web sites as this article excerpt from the eBook.

E advantages include no telling or selling in person, no travel, more convenience such as instant delivery and reaching greater numbers of your target audience. The author keeps all the profits, and doesn't have to package and mail. His faster sales bring him marketing and promotion money--where most authors don't usually succeed. He can invest in books, seminars, coaching, or teleclasses to bring him up to speed.

Every day you can reach 1000's, even hundreds of thousands, using simple online promotion techniques. Here you can sell your book through subtle forms such as the free article or ezine. The varied online audiences including personal growth and business want free information. Your book sales will multiply fast because in every email you send out, you include your signature file that leads people to where you sell your book.

Even the newbie or non-techie like myself can benefit from writing for the online audience.

Use these "know your audience" tips and examples to write compelling copy that will guarantee your writing adventure a true success. Your audience awaits!

Judy Cullins ©2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," "How to Market your Business on the Internet," and "Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The Book Coach Says..." and "Business Tip of the Month" at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 155 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com.