Where is your ideal customer hanging out?
If you've done the ICA exercise above or already know your ideal person, it's time to find out where they spend their time. I don't mean which malls, bars, or golf courses, but where do they spend their time online?
I've mentioned this in the past, but for those of us who spend most of our time on Instagram or YouTube, what if you found out that your ideal customer is actually on LinkedIn or Twitter? Would that stop you from trying to find them because you had no interest in being there?
Without getting too philosophical, let's assume you want to seek them out wherever they are, but where are they exactly?
1. Ask Questions
If you know someone who might be in the basic vicinity of your ideal customer, drop them a note and see if they are open to answering some questions to help you improve your business.
What kind of devices do they use, and which apps are their favorite? What social apps do they use regularly? How and where do they research topics? Where do they get their news? Which podcasts and newsletters do they subscribe to? Which online communities do they belong to?
Doing this with more than one or two people will improve your chances of triangulating the best places to spend your promotional efforts.
2. Find your competitors?
You have competition, and if you know who they are, you're one step in the right direction, but do you know where they spend their efforts? Not to get too Spy-vs-Spy here, but if you can find where your competition spends their time, you may be there too. Mimic their online habits and outbid them on advertising.
NOTE: Ignore competitors that sell less than you.
3. Watch trends
Do you know where your market is heading? Are there new places where people are buying products like yours? Are things trending up or down?
Google Trends is an excellent place to start, but it doesn't come with much detail. Also, look into online forums, Reddit groups, discord channels, or any place where others in your market talk to each other. Read the necessary news sources, and pay for subscriptions to sources that can make a difference between you and your competition.
The more research you do, the better you'll get at this, and you'll start seeing trends you didn't know existed before. Happy hunting.