Blog Takeaway:

Before you hit "post" or send that email, take a step back. Think about who you’re trying to reach, what matters to them, how you can connect with them, and how all of this ties into your business goals. Then, align your messaging to make sure it speaks directly to those things.

We’ve been busy at IvyHill serving clients and handling the day-to-day operations, so much so that we found ourselves in a classic "cobbler’s kids have no shoes" situation. Our own communications were slipping through the cracks, and honestly? It’s giving us major ick. So, we’re fixing that.

Like the clients we work with, we realized that balancing sustainable business growth with extending our brand’s reach, connections, and content needs to be a priority.

A lot of people have asked us to share this journey into our brand refresh, hoping to apply some of the tactics to their businesses. You asked, we’re sharing.

The Problem with Our Current Message

Right now, we say we work with "ambitious brands." It’s true—but also a little vague and confusing. We do love partnering with businesses and organizations that are committed to growing their reputation and building authentic connections with their clients. 

We never really liked the term "niching down," because it felt limiting and narrowing ourselves into a tight niche didn’t quite fit.

That said, if you don’t define who you’re trying to reach, you’ll end up connecting with no one. You can’t be everything to everyone.

Brand Rest Part 1: Truly Understand Your Target Audience

Before jumping into your communications strategy (or your marketing and PR plan), it’s crucial to know your audience, your services, their interests, and your goals. That’s exactly where we’re starting with our reset at IvyHill—redefining our target audience and fine-tuning the messaging to speak directly to them.

Take a look at your current clients. What markets are they in? We did the same and discovered we have experience in these areas:

• Health and wellness

• Food and beverage

• E-commerce and retail

• Non-profit

• Home-related services

A pretty wide range, right? Now, it’s about diving into demographics and psychographics to try and narrow down the target market.

Understanding Demographics and Psychographics

Quick refresher:

• Demographics = measurable traits like age, gender, education, and income (think U.S. Census data)

• Psychographics = personality, interests, and behaviors (aka their "vibe")

Here’s how we’ve applied this to IvyHill:

Demographics

• Based on the East Coast, breaking into East Coast markets (New England, Mid-Atlantic), or located in the Southwest

• Ages 35-65 (older millennials to baby boomers)

• In business for at least 3 years

Psychographics

• Annoyed by or averse to social media and/or video

• Rely heavily on referrals and word of mouth

• Driven to make a positive impact in their communities, online and offline

• Common challenges: mindset struggles, time limitations, going full steam ahead then burning out

This gives us a much clearer picture of who we’re trying to reach. 

Business Shoutout

One of our standout clients who’s crushing it with redefining her niche is Tidy by Tina. Tina is shifting her focus to work specifically with parents (especially moms) with ADHD who feel overwhelmed by keeping their homes organized. Social media is her main communication outlet because that’s where her audience "hangs out" and looks for resources.

She’s laser-focused on her audience, and her content reflects that. If you haven’t already, check out her Instagram—you’ll see how she’s evolved over time to hone her niche.

Now It's Your Turn

Alright, time for a little “ta-dah!” work (because let’s be honest, the word “homework” gives us the ick too). Take 15 minutes to go through the list of people you’ve worked with in the past. Look at their demographics and psychographics. Do they align with your brand’s vision, mission, and goals? If yes—amazing! Now, focus on how you can connect with them even more deeply. If not, it’s time to redefine and refine your approach.

And hey, for extra credit, feel free to set up a time to chat with us or give us feedback on our own target audience. Remember, growing your message leads to success—it just takes the right strategies and game plans.