Build Your Community and Niche Market with Two Questions

Insider trick dropping on you in 5-4-3-2-1…

I like making things simple, especially when it comes to building my brand.

When I first started my brand, I had no idea I was building a brand.

Here’s what happened.

I got an idea and took action on it. The idea was to start a blog. 

But in time, it became clear that I had so much more than a blog. 

I had a life advice brand—The Smoking Prophet. And attached to that life advice brand was a real mission (or calling, as some say).

My mission is to inspire and equip people to positively impact the world with their unique giftings, skills, and callings.

Soon after realizing this, I had to prioritize four things. 

Four simple things to carve out my brand’s place in the world. 

• my mission (my driving force)
• my core values (my guiding force)
• my audience (a community of champions)
• my workflows (things that encourage consistency)

Remember when I told you I like making things simple? 

Well, this is where my obsession with oversimplifying things worked in my favor. My obsession with simplicity forced me to find simple ways to do big things for my brand. 

And my quirky no-frills fixation with simple minimalism can work in your favor too. Because you can apply my processes to whatever you’re creating or building.

Below is a straightforward, simple, fail-proof process that can make your target audience impossible to unsee and your niche market obvious. It’s crazy to think that answering two questions can do something so impressive, but it’s true. My process is just two simple questions.

So keep reading. If you’re a creator, community builder, brand owner, or online seller, these questions are just for you. Use them to learn who your target audience is and instantly identify your niche market so you can lean in and dominate your calling.

Question One: Your Target Audience

Your target audience is this: people who need you and that you need too. It’s the community you should over-serve so they can help champion your cause (brand, business, or ministry) and raise your brand’s awareness.

When it comes to identifying your target audience (aka your community), ask yourself this question: Who can I help?

Here are three more clarifying questions:

📌 What type of people would best benefit from my experience?

📌 Which industries are my competencies suitable for?

📌 What kind of person would best benefit from my unique skill set?

Question Two: Your Niche Market

A niche market is a smaller sub-group of a bigger market or industry.

Identifying your niche market can be simple too. I’ve found that your niche audience often mirrors a version of yourself that struggled with something you’re passionate about solving.

So ask yourself this: When I first started [add your area of expertise], what struggle did I need help with the most — that I’m capable of helping others solve today?

Next Steps

Last tip. Don’t get stuck on the details. Start with broad answers, then go deeper and get more specific. You can do this.

If you’re the type that needs details, not having them can derail you. But you’re not alone. That feeling can hit anyone. No matter who they are, what they’re doing, or what stage they are at as a creator, online seller, or online community builder. And I know why. Details help us feel more confident. But at the end of the day, you just need enough to start — not to figure everything out. Plus, when you take what you know and start, you get more — including the details that make you feel so comfortable and safe.

Oh! Last-last thing. Listen to episode #127 of The Smoking Prophet Podcast. Not listening to it after reading this would be a mistake. The episode is packed with stories and strategies to help you build your online community and instantly identify your niche market.

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