How to attract your target audience like a freakin magnet!

When I made my first public foray into the world of writing many moons ago, (strangely enough my first post was about the moon...and a dog) I naturally assumed people from far and wide would be falling over themselves to read my fascinating blog posts.

Because that's what happens when you write what you think is a really good blog post, right?

Wrong!

I would 'wax' lyrical about all the sorts of things I was interested in, certain that everyone else would be dazzled by my insights. 

I even started an online magazine (not a lot of people know that). 

I couldn’t understand what the heckers was going on when I didn't win some kind of award for my interesting posts...no Pulitzer prize nomination letter arrived...no viral posts...no blogosphere superstardom beckoned?

Nope! 'fraid not.

You see, I made the number ONE mistake people often make when putting the old pen to paper (or finger to keyboard and words to screen...doesn’t sound quite the same does it?).

The mistake?

I wasn’t giving my audience what they wanted. In fact, aside from family and a few long suffering friends...I didn’t have an audience.

Of course all that changed when I applied a simple formula. (Yep...that sounds hammy...I know).

After so many posts and articles I can barely count them (most of which went to the great ‘delete’ button in the sky), I finally stumbled upon the magic formula which countless others had discovered before me yet had up to then seemed like a complete anathema to me.

And you know what that formula was?

Yep. You got it.

Give 

Readers 

What 

They 

Want.

And here's another little secret.

Sometimes giving people what they want can be...kinda boring. Boring to you that is, because you already know it. But they don't!

You may well be wondering what this has to do with you? 

Well, are YOU giving your audience what they want or are you waffling on about yourself or something that is interesting to you? 

Are you selling a product or service which you think is a good idea, but nobody else does or even wants?

Unless you are Zac Efron or Scarlett Johansson you might find that you are not what people want. Having said that, even superstars are giving people what they want...a fantasy. A break from reality.

Want to attract your target audience like a magnet? 

Simple.

I will say it again.

Give readers what they want.

Seriously, take the time to think about it. Do a little research. Actually...do A LOT of research.

You might surprise yourself.

Let me know how it goes :-) 

(Originally posted on my blog here)