Time to Say Goodbye to Your Imaginary Marketing Friend | Rachel Allen| #1178

When you were a kid, having an imaginary friend was harmless, maybe even healthy. But as a business owner? That imaginary friend can tank your marketing. Too many businesses build their strategy around an avatar that looks neat on paper but has nothing to do with the real people who buy from them.

In this episode of *More Than a Few Words*, Rachel Allen and I dig into why client avatars often miss the mark and what you can do instead.

**Key Insights** • Demographics alone are useless. Age, gender, and job title won’t tell you what keeps someone awake at 3 a.m. Worries and motivations matter more than surface stats. • Your best customers live at the intersection of three groups: the people you want to talk to, the ones you actually attract, and the ones willing to pay. That sweet spot is your marketing home base. • Data flattens people into averages. Great marketing leans into quirks, because quirks are what make your audience pay attention.

**Actionable Takeaways** • Swap demographics for psychographics. Go deeper into what your audience values, fears, and hopes for. • Talk to 10 or 20 real people. Forget long surveys. Short, human conversations reveal more than a polished PDF ever will. • Audit your own copy. Ask yourself, “Would I say this sentence out loud to the last customer I spoke with?” If the answer is no, rewrite it. • Bring in an outside perspective. A trusted colleague, a coach, even a tool like ChatGPT can help you see blind spots you can’t catch alone. • Don’t shy away from edges. The quirky details that make your audience unique are the ones that make your marketing memorable.

If you’re still writing for your imaginary friend, this conversation is your wake-up call. Stop talking to make-believe customers and start connecting with the real ones who are ready to listen.

 

About Rachel Allen 

Rachel Allen is a fast-thinking, deeply nerdy marketer with broad-ranging experience in for-profit and non-profit sectors. She’s written for some of the biggest (and smallest) names in business, and excels at marketing that's equal parts data-driven and human-centered.

Having run a marketing business for 17 years with clients in 21+ countries, Rachel’s written for some of the top names in entrepreneurship, as well as influencers, brick-and-mortar businesses, and non-profits around the world. Her work has contributed directly to high-ROI launches, leaps in audience engagement, industry awards, relationships with top venture capital firms, and national-level honors.

Find out more at boltfromthebluecopywriting.com