When I launched my own business I had some idea of what I was doing: I wanted to help people avoid the same mistakes the business I then worked for had made. I wanted to show people that they could market their businesses online themselves, without resorting to 4- or 5- digit retainers to some agency that over-promised and under-delivered.
But it took me a long time to figure out what exactly it was that I was offering, both in terms of figuring out what I wanted to offer and what people needed.
A few years ago I actually informally surveyed small business owners to see how they needed help with. I got lots of information, most of it I didn’t want to hear.
It has taken me ages to switch my business from just providing services and consulting at specific per hour and per minute rates to providing solutions.
I always think I have it figured out. Then a day, a week, a month or a year later, I realize I don’t.
Today, the realization came that my target audience is too broad:
For the last couple of years I have been saying I serve “solopreneurs and small business owners who want to learn how to better grow their business online” or something to that effect.
But today I realized that this group is way too broad.
I don’t serve people who own retail businesses. I have never done so, I don’t want to do so, and I don’t think I have much to offer the ecommerce world.
I mean, everything on the internet about SEO, and much of the stuff out there about content marketing, social media marketing, and any other form of internet marketing you can think of, is geared towards ecommerce.
Today I realized I serve soloproeneur professionals.
I have been in business for like 5 years. And I just realized what I do.