That email you’re writing…
That website you’re building…
That flyer you’re creating…
That brochure copy you’re penning…
That t-shirt you’re designing…
Who’s it for?
It’s a good question to ask, and a good person to envision, as you’re making it.
When I sit down to write a blog post, I try to envision exactly who it’s for. Not “parents,” or “students,” or “counselors”—that’s too broad. I want to imagine the one person out there who’s most likely to read and share it.
The parent of a nice B student who’d like some reassurance that there are plenty of great colleges out there for her child, too.
The over-achieving student who needs a reminder that the work will pay off no matter which colleges say yes.
The high school counselor who wants to alert her large caseload of families about upcoming changes in the financial aid process.
Of course, each of those posts will probably appeal to more than one person. But they won’t appeal to everyone, and that’s OK. If it’s good enough, the person each post is written for will share it with people in their tribe who think and act similarly.
It’s impossible to make something that everyone will like. But pleasing one specific person is an attainable goal.
And if your answer to “Who’s it for?” is, “This isn’t for anyone—it’s just for me,” then you’ve got a willing audience of one—yourself! So go make yourself happy with your art, writing, music, reading, learning, etc. and let all the other potential audiences go.
The path to the most receptive audience starts with an audience of one.