This is understandable. As businesspeople, we work hard to capture our message; it’s valuable work that can only be done by internal employees who know our culture, our co-workers and our CEO. But the very insider nature of our mission statements and corporate copy can sound exclusive and clique-y to our customers.
They often don’t get the inside jokes, the clever language, the puns, metaphors or similes that we worked so hard on – for so long. If customers don’t get your copy, if it doesn’t speak in their language, you might as well not write it. And copy that only works for you simply doesn’t work!

The trick is to seek comfort where you’re not comfortable, which is usually in your target audience’s shoes. Let’s say you’ve never knitted a day in your life, secretly make fun of knitters behind their backs, talk down to them in their presence and generally just “don’t get this whole knitting thing,” but are suddenly put in charge of producing a new line of do-it-yourself manuals for, of all things, knitters.

Well, unless you get out of your knitter-doubting comfort zone but quick, your future customers will pick up on your thin knitter knowledge – but quick. The best way to do this is to switch off the comfort and welcome the uncomfortable. Immerse yourself in the world of knitting to the point that you are absolutely obnoxious about it. But you can’t just fake it; you have to open yourself up to it.

This is literally the biggest step one can take in measuring the distance between you and your audience. This is your straight line to the audience you’re targeting – and if you can’t feel comfortable in this niche, they’ll never feel comfortable buying it.

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But what struck me almost as much as the show itself, was the crowd that was there. In front of us were some crazy 30 and 40 somethings, behind us were two african american women in their 60’s, and all around was a mix of all ages and colors. I expect this from a band that has been around for a while and has fans from different generations, but this was Coldplay. They only formed as a band in 1998, and their first record was out in 2000. Their popularity has only reached the masses in the past 5 or 6 years. So how do they do it?

Yes, they have good music that is accessible to a larger audience. But I saw something more Saturday night. I saw passion, I saw thoughfulness, and I saw excellence. It reminded me of something that happens with professional athletes. When you are the best at what you do, and are passionate about it, it draws in everyone. Even if you are not a basketball fan, you stopped to watch Michael Jordan fly through the air. And while I don’t play much golf, I am mesmerized when Tiger Woods makes that impossible shot that miraculously goes in the hole.

Coldplay is doing that with their music, and it is a lesson we all can apply to what ever business you are in or product you are marketing. Do it with excellence, be purposeful and thoughtful, and most of all do it with passion. You will find that your audience and customers will grow exponentially beyond your target demographic.