I met with three student researchers at the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University last week, about an intergenerational program in the works for a client. As the two researchers from the Americas (one North, one South) lamented that their grandparents were not so savvy with technology, the student from China chimed in.
“It’s not like that in China. All of the older adults…” (Okay, he called them old people, I’m sure referring to people younger than me.) “All of the old people in China use it.”
Why? “Because there’s only one choice: WeChat. “It’s the only one people use,” he explained. “So old people know they have to learn it. And they are pretty good with it.”
Pick One and Take Action
The positive side of the Internet is that you can know everything there is to know from thousands of diverse perspectives. We have choice. But too many options can be paralyzing.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is real. For young people it is causing anxiety and depression. In our house it has ruined Friday Night Movie Night. By the time we go through options on cable, then On Demand, then Netflix, an hour has passed and it’s too late to watch a movie.
It can be the same with focusing on a target market for your business.
Who do you want to talk to, and how do you reach them?
A lot of business owners will say “I can serve anyone.” But that broad sweep will generally land you not serving anyone. Narrowing your demographic, essentially “picking one” that is the sweet spot for your business is the best place to start. And once you know who you are serving, you can then tackle the question of “how do I reach them?”
There again is where picking one and acting is a good way to jump start action. Do you choose Twitter or Facebook or Instagram? Do you speak at a conference?
Jump start action by committing to the one that most closely matches your goal (e.g. LinkedIn for Business, Facebook for 50+, Instagram for knock-out photography) and sticking with it. Set goals to measure (related to business results—not just online stats) and set a budget and a timeline for re-evaluation.
Jump Start Action
If you get really stuck, let chance help. I have a beautiful pottery bowl my son made in middle school art class that has slips of paper in it with each clients’ name, plus extra ones for administrative tasks and building my own business. When I find myself flitting from task to task without focus, I literally “pick one and act.”