You've got the copywriter's email open. They're happy to work with you, and they're able to write the copy that you want. You're over the moon. This is the next step toward building your business! Everything is falling into place!
Then you see that question in the middle of the copywriter's email that you can't bring yourself to answer: what's your target audience?
That's a good question, you think to yourself. What is my target audience?
You may be tempted to avoid the question. Why does the copywriter need to know so many specifics? Can't they figure it out by what kind of business you are?
Well, it isn't always that simple. All kinds of people can shop at one store, and location and population make all the difference. Record shops may attract the stereotypical hipster customer in one town, but may be full of music enthusiasts in another. It all depends!
When you run a business like a restaurant, a store, or even an online Etsy shop, it can be easy to think of your customers as one big blob of people. A blob made of babies, kids, teens, adults and older adults, of varying genders and income levels. You just wanted to make sure your customers left happily, and it can be hard to put one single face to your clientele.
Have no fear! Copywriters are a flexible people who can work with very little information, so there's still a way you can give a good answer without having to hand over an entire client list!
Try to think of your most frequent customers. The newlyweds that come in every Saturday, the family of five that you see Thursday afternoons, or the quiet college student that always pays in exact change.
Try to get a general feel of the types of people your business attracts. If you have families and couples as your primary clientele, focus on that. If single people and students make up the brunt of your sales, mention that, too.
Try also to keep in mind your location and the general income of your clients. If you have an online business that sells pricey jewelry, your clients have some disposable income. If you are a florist in a suburb, know that your customers will likely be shopping with you only for special occasions in their lives. If you want your copywriter to be able to build an effective buyer persona, don't hold back any info you think is important!
It also helps to look at who's interacting with your content on social media. If you see a lot of young adults and college students liking your post about gel nails, then you already know who's going to be seeing the copywriter's work. If a wide range of people, young and old, are liking what you've been putting out, then be sure to tell your copywrititer this (and be happy that you have so many different kinds of customers)!
But remember, there's no wrong answer that you can give the copywriter, so don't sweat it too much!
As I said before, just having a general idea of who your clients are should be good enough. If you really want to give your copywriter a good idea of who shops with you, give them a few examples! Mention that group of teens that stops by your bakery for cookies every Friday afternoon, or the old couple that buys fresh eggs from your stand twice a week. As long as your copywriter can put a face, a name, an age to your clients, they can write effective copy.
With that in mind, dig out your client list, think of a good few that represent your clientele, and respond to that email!
