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We are a branding and web design studio located in Nashville, Tennessee. We work with likeminded clients who appreciate quality timeless design.

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Muse vs. Target Audience

Business

Reflect for a minute. Does your brand turn heads? Does it turn the right heads? 

Muse and target audience are often confused as the same demographic. Although these two are similar, it’s important to understand the differences in order to reach your ideal client.

Defining your brand muse provides a focal point to reach your dream client. It helps you understand your customers, and makes it easier to tailor your content specifically to the needs and behaviors of that ideal audience. 

Our muses act as our aspirational compasses. They stroke our imagination and push us towards greatness. Dream client (muse) personas are fictional representations of your ideal clients. The keyword here is ideal adj: model, perfect. This is what sets apart your muse from your target audience. 

Your muse is different from your target audience. Target audience is as a group of people defined by demographics and similar behaviors. For example, your target audience could be women age 25-40 interested in leading a healthy lifestyle. Your muse is a super-defined niche of your target audience.

Are there any clients in your past that you’d consider dream clients? If so, keep their personalities, struggles and decisions in the back of your mind as you determine your brand muse. The goal here is to define a muse that you can always refer back to when making future decisions for your business. This muse will avoid you from getting distracted by what the competitors are doing or losing sight of your authentic brand values. 

Here are two fun exercises to help dream up your ideal client.

01 Defining Your Muse
This is a made-up character, your ideal client. Think about your current clients and projects. Do you recognize any consistencies between them? Then think of all those similar people to create a fictitious character. Keep him/her in mind when you are posting to social media, creating marketing materials or planning a promotion.  

Name:

Age/Gender:

Married/Single:

Children:

City or Suburbs:

Current Job Title:

Morning Person or Night Owl?

What’s Their Favorite Beverage?

What Do They Do On Friday Nights?

How About Sunday Mornings?

What Are Their Hobbies?

What Really Annoys Them?

Who Are Some Of Their Icons?

What Are They Wearing Right Now?

Where Do They Shop?

What Are Their Guilty Pleasures?

02 Creating A Muse Pinterest Board

  • Check out our sample muse below.
  • Create a Pinterest board with only 15-20 images. This will help you narrow down your muse.
  • Pin three to four of the following: Where does she eat? Where does she live? Dream trip? Passions? Style?
  • Change the description section of each pin. In a couple of words, describe what you like about the pin. 
  • Keep pinning consistent pins that have a clear vision of the personality of your muse. Select imagery that fits the look of her.
  • Save and share the link.

– The Honor Team

*Image inspiration found on Pinterest

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