Building a product is fun...problems come with finding the right audience

Building the product is the fun part: you sketch, you code, you design, you tweak, and suddenly you’re proud of this shiny thing that (hopefully) works. Then comes the harder question: Who is this actually for?

You might be tempted to say: “Everyone! Anyone! People who breathe oxygen!” But if your audience is “everyone,” your message doesn't reach anyone. The more you try to appeal to as many people as possible, the more you lose touch with your real target, who would gladly pay for what you sell.

All founders feel the same way:

• You’re too close to your product, and while you're convinced you're seeing the bigger picture, you're actually not.

• Narrowing your audience feels like losing potential customers instead of gaining clarity.

• For you, every user matters. In reality, users are NOT buyers: not everyone who likes your product will pay for it.

• Your product solves 10 problems, but you know you can only market 1 at a time.

We learned this the long way, rewriting our website, packages, messaging; not because our product changed, but because our understanding of our audience kept getting sharper.

It took time to admit that we’re not for every company or founder who “needs design.”

So, how do you find the right audience?

1. Focus on today, not “someday.”
   Your ideal audience is the group already frustrated, already searching, already trying hacks.

2. Look for emotional reactions.
   Who gets excited when you describe your product? That’s your audience. If someone listens and asks questions politely… they’re just kind, but not interested in buying.

3. Analyze your early adopters.
   They’re not “random.” They’re pattern clues. What do they have in common (role, company size, budget, mindset...)?

4. Ask people why they wouldn’t use your product.
   You’ll learn faster from the “no, thanks” crowd than from the polite nodders.

5. Follow the money.
   This one's easy: the right audience isn’t just the one excited about your idea, but most of all the one ready (and able) to pay for it.

Have you figured out your real audience yet? If so, how difficult was it?