Lock In
My favorite leader, Jesus, excelled at everything. Whether performing miracles, preaching heart-changing messages, or pardoning the guilty with mercy, He was (and is) the greatest of all time. One of the accomplishments often overlooked on His resume of excellence is His laser focus. He understood His purpose and locked in, and He did not waver.
That’s the gist of this verse, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10, NLT). This verse is an excerpt from a conversation He had with a man named Zaccheus. Jesus often received criticism for hanging around people like Zaccheus, the outcasts of religious society. Jesus frequently responded with statements like this. In essence, He said, “Yes, I hang around the undesired people and it’s OK. They’re my target audience!”
I hope this post will encourage you to do the same thing. Perhaps your entrepreneurial efforts are all over the place. Now is a great time to identify your target audience and pursue them with unwavering determination.
Whether you realize it or not, your product is not for everyone. Think about this for a moment. As impressive and ingenious as the iPhone is, not everyone owns one. Apple, however, excels at making sure their products are attractive to their target audience. I believe you have the same potential!
Here are a few tips to help you lock into your target audience:
1) DEFINE YOUR PRODUCT: Jesus knew His “product” was salvation and eternal life. What is your product? How does it work? What happens when you use it? Defining your product is the first step, for clarity about your product will help determine your audience.
2) DETERMINE YOUR AUDIENCE: Who is your product for? In Luke 19:10, Jesus clearly answers this question. You must be able to as well.
If you’re not sure about your audience, think about who buys or benefits from your product most often. Do they represent a certain demographic? Do they all live in a certain part of the world? Your answers to these questions may expose specifically who you reach with your product.
3) DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO REACH THEM: In the business world, this is known as a marketing plan. Before you become anxious, let me put you at ease. It’s not too hard. All you have to do is figure out where your audience looks for information, and get the right message to them.
Jesus spent time outside of the temple because that’s where He could find His target audience. Your task is to figure out where you can find your audience. Are they on social media? Are they at networking events? After you figure out where they are, you can create strategic opportunities to reach them.
The most important component of this step is to sell your product. You have to be able to present your product in a must-have way. For assistance with this process, check out the third step my article entitled “Creating an Irresistible Vision.”
4) DEVOTE TIME TO GAINING THEIR BUSINESS: This is the lock-in-step. After you define your product, determine your audience, and develop a strategy to reach them, you must focus on gaining the business of your audience. This means spending your time wisely. That means reaching the point where you say, “If it’s not gaining business, it’s not worth my time.”
Jesus was the master at this. People often tried to persuade Him to stay places long-term, but He quickly informed them that He had “business opportunities” elsewhere. You must do the same thing. Lock in, and don’t let anything deter you from your target audience!