Figuring out your target market or ideal customer profile (ICP) can be one of the biggest challenges for any business or content creator.
When you get it wrong, it can hurt your business. But when you get it right, it can make a huge difference. It’s the difference between being a mediocre brand and a successful one.
Pat Flynn has this process called Brand in a Hand that I tried, and it really helped me. So, let me take you through it.
I’ve modified it a bit to fit my needs, but here are the basics:
- Little finger – People: Know who you’re targeting.
- Ring finger – Passion: Understand what they want.
- Middle finger – Problems: Identify their problems.
- Pointy finger – Platform: Guide them to the right platform.
- Thumb – Products: Develop products that solve their problems.
So, let’s start with People. For me, it’s founders. Why founders? Because I am one, and I understand them. I’ve been a founder for over a decade, so I know the ins and outs, especially those building software or online businesses.
Next is Passion. What do they want? In my case, founders who want to build a global audience using video. They’re not just any founders; they’re busy ones with a dream of creating a brand through video content.
Then we have Problems. This one’s easy. Founders are busy. They don’t have time to create content. They lack resources like tools, systems, and information to make video content quickly and efficiently. And consistency is a big issue. If you’re a busy founder, you know the struggle of being consistent with content.
Instead of Platform, I call it Path. It’s about giving them a pathway from where they are now to where they want to be. For me, it’s these three steps:
- Produce content
- Publish content
- Promote content
Get these right, and you’re winning at the content game.
Now, let’s talk about Products. These are the things I’ll create to help my audience produce, publish, and promote their content. This will include both content and actual products or services.
Finally, there’s Proof. Proof that you can do the work. For me, it’s my 18 years of experience in video marketing. I’ve built multiple brands and achieved significant results in the video space.
One more thing that helped me was doing this exercise three times. I compared different target audiences to see which fit best with my experience and goals. This helped me refine my ICP and get even clearer on who I want to serve.
So, that’s the Brand in Hand process. I’ve updated my personal blog and everything to reflect this clarity. Thanks to Pat Flynn for this amazing process. It’s helping me hone in on my target market, which is a lot like me—busy founders who want to grow their audience using video.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave your ideas below and check out Pat’s video for more insights. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post!
