Marketing Strategies: The Importance of Targeting
Teresa Sivak on how narrowing her focus transformed her marketing and helped her connect with the right clients.
When I first started my business, I thought I was being smart by targeting a wide audience. Entrepreneurs. Freelancers. Creators. “My offer is for everyone,” I’d say. Because technically, it was.
I kept my messaging broad, thinking it made me flexible. It didn’t. It made me forgettable.
My content got likes, but no one reached out. My emails got opens, but no replies. I had a constant feeling that I was missing something obvious.
That “something” was targeting.
When You Talk to Everyone, No One Listens
People didn’t ignore my content because it was bad, they ignored it because it wasn’t for them. It wasn’t specific enough to stick. I was talking, but no one felt seen.
I had to learn the hard way that trying to reach everyone means you’re not really speaking to anyone. Once I did, I shifted my focus to a group I knew well: veteran entrepreneurs.
I understood their mindset, their values, their roadblocks. I could speak to their needs, and in their voice.
Speak Their Language
I used to worry that choosing a niche would mean turning people away. But it did the opposite, it pulled the right people closer, and those are the ones who stuck around.
The truth is, most marketing feels impersonal. Cold emails. Generic ads. Content that could’ve been written for anyone.
But when someone speaks your language? You pay attention. You feel seen. You think, “This was made for me.” That sense of personal relevance is powerful. It builds trust faster. It resonates deeper. It helps your audience self-select and take action.
Even if you’ve already defined your niche, it’s worth taking the exercise one step further: imagine one specific person you want to reach. Give them a name. Picture their day. Understand their frustrations, their goals, their language. Then write directly to them. Specificity creates clarity.
Targeted Marketing Saves You Time
Once I knew who I was talking to, everything became easier.
- Content ideas came faster.
- My visuals and tone felt more natural.
- I didn’t need to force myself into every channel, just the ones where my audience already was.
- I started seeing results without shouting into the void.
Targeting gave me the confidence to stop chasing trends and start building a brand people actually remembered.
How to Get Clear on Your Target
Forget demographics for a second. Start by asking yourself:
- Who do you deeply understand?
- What problem do you help them solve?
- What language do they use when they talk about it?
If you don’t know, ask. Listen. Watch what they share. Join the conversations they’re already having. People will tell you exactly how to reach them, if you’re actually willing to hear it.
And once you understand who you’re trying to speak to, you need to actually speak to them. Work what you’ve learned into everything you create – every email, every video. When your messaging matches your targeting, people will start to notice. You’ll start feeling like a friend they can trust, rather than a sales person trying to take their money.
If you’re feeling stuck or unsure who your audience really is, I get it. I've been there. And I’d be happy to help you figure it out.
Stay Connected with Teresa
Teresa is a Certified Brand & Marketing Strategist and U.S. Army veteran with over 15 years of experience in online business and social media management. She has empowered over
2,550 brands to streamline processes, scale effectively, and increase revenue.
.png)
