People who don’t know you
The true test for many creators seems to be, “Will people who don’t know me like this?” Their way of determining whether a project is successful is whether people who don’t have a relationship to them online and offline end up finding and enjoying the work.
Why?
Isn’t it better to go deeper with those who already know, like, and trust you? This is Kevin Kelly’s “thousand true fans” or Seth Godin’s “smallest possible audience.” You can build a wildly successful career by focusing on deeper relationships with people who already know you. A few reasons why:
They already eagerly await your work.
They’re already willing to offer feedback and support.
They are the people most likely to share with others, which then brings those coveted (for some reason) “new people” your way.
They’re the ones investing in you, but that isn’t something we should take for granted. They could leave.
I do this all the time: I see five or six nice comments from names I recognize, and I generally let the moment pass me by. Sometimes, it’s because I don’t know them offline, and I think, “Eh, they’re digital fans only, they like everything I do.” Other times, I know them personally, and I think, “Okay, but Doug and I are friends outside the internet. Of course he’s just being nice.”
Either way, I’m brushing them aside. This is a huge mistake.
WHY should anyone seemingly like everything I do online? They have infinite choice. WHY would Doug invest precious time in a relationship with me? Yes, the nice comment is because we’re friends — but we’re friends because we add value to each other’s work and lives.
Both of these groups are the real audience. Both of them are providing stronger signal that something is working or good than any stranger could provide. They have more context. They have more at stake given all they’ve invested. They can’t be tricked or gamed.
They are the true test. Not new people. Old friends. Existing audience.
They shouldn’t count less. They should count MORE.
Whether you care about reach or not, it has to start with resonance. The people who know us now should be our entire focus as makers and, if we serve them deeply enough, they’ll go get others in a much more lasting way than any random post or ad we can push to the world.
Don’t focus on reach. Focus on resonance.
Serve those who already know and like you. Forget about people who don’t.
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