An Audience of One
The Encouragement Manifesto (Part 5)
When we ran a small business, there were some principles at the heart of it. A code of behaviour. It was owner-run; just the two of us. So the way we worked, who we were, was never written down as such. It was in our hearts. We are pretty sure it was clear to our customers who we were and what was important to us. We worked hard to be consistent, to celebrate others and to stay positive. Our business was built on the successes and strengths of others; kindness and generosity were keystones; we talked about value, not price and that allowed us to find our audience. We gathered up and shared inspiring stories and we sought to be a pebble in the pond, creating ripples. If we’d written this down at the time, we’d have called it The Encouragement Manifesto. Recently we decided to just write it down. We asked some folk we trust and who live and work in the same way, to interpret the 10 principles in their own words. Sometimes, the folk challenged us to say what we think. Like now.
The Audience of One
There is a perceived wisdom in marketing a brand … that somehow ‘scale’ is the goal, the nirvana. Bigger is better.
We ran a small high street business. Every day — in those tough early days — we watched people walk past our door. Every day, they walked back the other way with their bags filled to overflowing with things from the shop next door. Every week, at least once, we’d mutter:
If only we could grab 3%/5% … {add random %) of their customers, we’d be laughing
We’d heard all that stuff about ‘scale’. Big is better … start small, scale up … growth = success.
We assumed that was where we needed to head. That would make us ‘better’.
Just under a year after we opened, I attended the DO Lectures. It was hugely influential; a marked shift in our thinking. People spoke of ‘purpose’ … why they did things rather than the size of what they were doing. Speakers talked of human connections; audiences not lumped up into mass but broken down into individuals.
Simon Wright, the restaurateur spoke. His words struck a chord:
My place isn’t for everyone, but that’s ok
Not for everyone? Less people not more? You bet your marketing budget.
That’s when we started to focus on our ‘Audience of One’
If folk don’t ‘get’ your thing, it’s probably just not for them. Which is fine. Because there is a place just down the road — in your town — which is made for them. Guide these folk to that place with a smile on your face. Get back to focusing on your crowd; your thing is for them. Those other guys head off happy while you put everything into creating awesome times for your folk.
Simple words, changed everything.
We narrowed things down. Handpicked our stock; worked with the producers who had passion and purpose. We stayed small but made ourselves different. When folk came up the steps into our little deli they got a whole heap of welcome to our world.
We created a place that we’d love to hang out in.
And, here’s the thing, people started hanging out with us.
We took tables out of our ‘secret garden’ … we catered for fewer folk … but that meant that the people who came and hung out had the best time. They told their friends; their friends came. Our audience built; slowly; gently; organically. When we tried new things, people were curious. They knew the sort of things we did … and they had already decided it was for them.
We had found our audience and they had found us.
Small, not big.
So, what did we learn about finding our audience?
Audience is the wrong word
‘Audience’ is a rounded-up term; it is a collective. It is impossible to build a relationship with a group; but you can definitely build connections and establish a rapport with individuals. We spent time making things personal; book a table for brunch on a Sunday … it’s yours, from the time we open until the moment we close; turn up when you are ready. Hang out as long as you like; we don’t want to sweat that table — we want you to have the best time possible. And on each table, a handwritten sign with your name on it … your table. Not ‘The Brunch Crowd’ or some other collective noun for the folk who used to hang out with us on a Sunday; personalised. A one-to-one.
Make yourself part of the story
Shortly after that DO Lectures gathering which changed our perspective on this small business life, we started to scribble pictures on the ‘A board’ outside the shop. A stick man with a silly looking beard and a quiff (‘Mr Deli’) and a pretty girl with curls in her hair and a skirt (‘Mrs Deli’). We characterised the business around us. We were fun, approachable, engaged; and consistent; the people who spoke to customers at the deli spoke with the same voice used on our social media. Why wouldn’t they; they were us. Too many people try and manufacture a social media presence, one that is about who and what they think they should be, rather than who they actually are. Your crowd will spot it if you pretend. No one hangs out for long with people who fake it.
Tell other people’s stories
From Day One, we celebrated other people’s stuff. We had a rule — 80% on other folk’s story — and 20% on ours. Why? To be honest, there’s only so much you can say about yourself before it gets boring … I’d listened to myself recounting the same tales and I was bored — even Mrs Deli was grimacing! But, handpick the producers and makers you choose to have on your shelves, the products that folk buy, the things they didn’t know they needed until they tasted them … and you have limitless supplies of great tales to recount. Celebrate what people are doing … a. because it is a good and generous thing to do and 2. because each of those producers has an audience which you are immediately plugged into. The ripple effect is powerful. You say nice things, consistently, over time, about people you like and admire, and folk will tune in. People will see the kind of person you are and they will repay you in kind.
Stay Positive
Literally, no-one wants to know if you’re having a bad day.
Your place should make a positive difference to the folk who visit. They want it to be a place of refuge; a counter to the bad day they are having. You want to be the place that makes them feel good.
And not just when they come through the door. When you post the picture of Mrs Deli’s muffins {cue giggle at the back of the class} … when you show off the cheese board you’re sharing for supper; that blog post about your trip out to learn about your gin distiller, the book you read, the place you stayed, the restaurant you ate at. Gather up the positives and share them. All the time.
People will remember you for the light you shine into their world.
Long after you shut the shop to create some room for new ideas, your crowd will still be with you. Curiosity about ‘what comes next’ is curiosity about you and your next thing because they trusted and liked you doing your old thing.
How do you know that you’ve found your audience?
Because each and every week, someone, just one person — or two — or six … will send you an e-mail shortly after you sent out your newsletter, still going 6 months after you closed the deli. They’ll talk to you, one-to-one, as you will reply, just to them. Not to an anonymous ‘audience’. To them.
To Martin, and Janey, and Christine … Harry will send you links … Stefan will be totally blown away that you included his poem in this week’s newsletter and he’ll urge his friends to check you out. That’s human connection. One-to-one. Shining a light into people’s lives and having it reflected right back.
What we learned most?
Focus on an audience of one.
They are THE most important person to you and your ambitions.
Barrie Thomson provides the words and crazy ideas for feastsandfables His current side project is #fiftyfivewords. Thoughts and ideas in 55 words, for 55 days, to celebrate the start of his 55th year.
