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Selling to “everyone” sells to no one

5 minutes, 8 steps, workout 1 of 5 in this module

A small brand owner tells you the audience is everyone: men, women, students, parents, anyone who might ever need the product. The budget, though, covers one small campaign. Spread over everyone, the message turns vague, nobody feels it was written for them, and the ad gets scrolled past. Picking one concrete group to start with feels like giving up customers. Explaining why it does the opposite is a conversation you'll have with almost every new client.

What you'll be able to do

By the end of this workout, you'll be able to define a concrete target audience instead of “everyone” and explain why a narrow audience sells more on a small budget.

A first look: “Everyone” is not a target audience

Saying “my audience is everyone” means you never write your ad for anyone in particular. Your budget is limited, and every impression costs money. A message that talks to everyone doesn't touch anyone's problem, so people scroll past it. Your target audience is the group of people who need your product most and who you can actually reach. Age and gender are only a starting point. The real question is this: in what situation, and with what problem, is this person looking for you?

Example: For Corner Coffee, instead of “everyone who drinks coffee”: “Commuters rushing to catch the morning train who don't want to wait in line.”

What this workout covers

  1. 1“Everyone” is not a target audience
  2. 2Narrow audience, sharp message
  3. 3Case: The “bags for everyone” ad
  4. 4With broad targeting, your creative picks the audience
  5. 5Case: Which video for the Advantage+ campaign?

A question from this workout: The “bags for everyone” ad

Northpack spent $500 on an Instagram ad that said “Stylish, quality bags for everyone.” The ad reached a lot of people, but sales were low. Most of the people who ordered are office workers who carry a laptop and take public transit to work.

Spend
$500
Reach
410,000 people
Click-through rate
0.4%
Sales
11 units

What do you do next month with the same budget?

  1. Rewrite the message for office workers who carry a laptop: “Laptop and charger in separate pockets, easy on your back.”
  2. Keep the same ad and double the budget to increase reach
  3. Target ages 18-65 nationwide so more people see it
  4. Show 10 different models in one ad so everyone finds one they like

Pick your answer first, then open the reasoning below.

Show the answer and the reasoning

Answer: A. Rewrite the message for office workers who carry a laptop: “Laptop and charger in separate pockets, easy on your back.”

The data already tells you who buys: office workers who carry a laptop. Writing the message around their problem raises the click-through rate. The most common mistake is raising the budget. If the message doesn't speak to anyone, more money just means more people scrolling past your ad.

The other steps work the same way: you decide first, then see why each option is right or wrong.

How you practice here

  • 3 short concept cards
  • 2 multiple-choice questions
  • 2 campaign cases with real-looking numbers
  • 1 guided calculation