Ever since I wrote my first fundraising appeal back in the Reagan administration, I have been chanting under my breath, “I am not the target audience.” But that raises an important question: Just who is the target audience?
Some nonprofits have gone to elaborate lengths to define their target audience, determining her age, lifestyle and shopping patterns, and sometimes even giving her a name. While that seems a bit over-the-top to me (but hey, whatever works!), the other end of the spectrum is to not even bothering to figure out that there is a target audience … and it probably isn’t you.
If I’m Not the Target Audience, Who Is?
Ever since I wrote my first fundraising appeal back in the Reagan administration, I have been chanting under my breath, “I am not the target audience.” But that raises an important question: Just who is the target audience?
Some nonprofits have gone to elaborate lengths to define their target audience, determining her age, lifestyle and shopping patterns, and sometimes even giving her a name. While that seems a bit over-the-top to me (but hey, whatever works!), the other end of the spectrum is to not even bothering to figure out that there is a target audience … and it probably isn’t you.
Pamela Barden is an independent fundraising consultant focused on direct response. You can read more of her fundraising columns here.