Seth Godin and getting impact by broadening access

Sometimes we get lost in our focus and forget the “what’s out there also…” part of what we do, believe, write about. As non-fiction writers we are open to that ‘what’ so lets put our mind in gear and reach that other interest.

I speak with authors all the time about who is their audience and the whys. Once we get our purpose and promise inline with our speaking process allows us to move into another perspective.

I’ve subscribed to Seth Godin for years and find his daily emails to be very helpful. I hope you do too, he sends out a daily post which really can stimulate your thinking.

Widest common denominator

If you’re creating something where widespread inputs, usage and adoption lead to significant benefits, it’s worth considering who you’re excluding.

The curb cut turned out not simply to be a boon for wheelchair users. At low cost, it opened the sidewalk to a significantly larger audience of strollers, delivery people and skateboarders, too.

Often, we make the mistake of focusing on too broad an audience. Obsessing about the minimum viable audience forces us to make something that’s truly better. But once we identify those we seek to serve, broadening access is a powerful way to add impact.

This isn’t a matter of high or low, more or less. It’s the power of thinking hard about who it’s for and what it’s for.

 

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