Your ministry has something to offer. Not because you've got a great concept (although it probably is!) but because of the One in whom the ministry is trying to share.

However, no single ministry will reach all people. Those Paul wasn't able to reach, Peter was. Jesus is the exception to the rule but He wasn't a ministry. Our humanness limits our ability to reach all. Paul was willing to reach some (1 Corinthians 9:22) and that should be our goal as well.

In this article, we're going to help you to refine your understanding of your target audience; the individuals you're ministry is trying to reach. Why? Because knowing who you're trying to reach will equip you to reach them more effectively.

What is a target audience?

A target audience is defined as a specific group of individuals for which your ministry positions itself to reach.

Or in simpler terms, it's the group of people who are the most likely to engage with your ministry.

The more clearly you define your target audience, the better you can understand how and where to reach them. You can start with broad categories like millennials or single moms, but you need to get much more detailed to achieve the best possible conversion rates.

Don’t be afraid to get highly specific. This is all about targeting your marketing efforts effectively, not stopping people from accessing your ministry. People who are not included in your target audience can still access you—they’re just not your top focus when it comes to crafting your marketing strategy.

Segment your audience

Segmenting your audience is breaking down your audience into further smaller groups. For example, if your target audience is millenials who are searching for spiritual answers, segments of this audience may include

• Millenials at university,
• Millenials recently graduated,
• Millenials beginning a family, and
• Millenials dissatisfied with their career paths.

Four common segmentation types include:

1. Geographic segmentation is based on location, such as country, and city
2. Demographic segmentation focuses on features such as gender, race, and age
3. Behavioral segmentation focuses on the changes individuals experience as a result of your ministry such as healthier lifestyle, greater life fulfilment, and increased sense of community
4. Psychographic segmentation that considers attributes relating to personality, values, attitudes, interests, or lifestyles, such as being an active reader

To segment potential customers into a target market, these are some of the questions you'll need to answer:

• How old is your ideal customer?
• Is your ministry most suitable for men, women or children?
• Where do they live?
• What type of education do they have?
• What problems, needs, or wants do they have that your ministry will fill?