Editor’s note: I hadn’t intended to do a two-art post on the Myth of Everybody, but casting your customer net too wide is a common problem and worth discussing.

Once upon a time there was a restaurant that offered a huge menu consisting of three types of ethnic food. The menu was so big you could tie a string to it and fly it in a stiff breeze.

The food was, in my humble opinion, a celebration of staggering culinary mediocrity. It was entirely without character—everything tasted like it either came out of a can or was from the “just add water” supply store.

That may sound harsh, but I take my food very seriously.

You run into trouble when you try to sell to everybody. You are forced to dumb down what you have to offer, even if your fascinating combination of goodies gives you lots to talk about.

Ironically, having lots to talk about doesn’t necessarily make for a compelling story.

Let’s try talking about less. If you run a restaurant that makes astonishing soup, you have a compelling story. You can tell your customers you use the finest seasonings, the freshest ingredients (it’s even better if you have a rooftop garden), and make seasonal recipes. Throw in some historical soup trivia, and don’t forget to mention you serve mighty fine soup.

People who love soup will become die hard fans and bring their friends to your restaurant. People who don’t like soup won’t be interested, which is fine, because you can’t please everybody. And you shouldn’t try. (Obviously you sell more than soup, but play along, I’m trying to make a point here.)

Businesses that sell a variety of things, like gift shops, seem to cater to everybody. But they don’t. Some carry fine craft and art, some stock their shelves with imported factory made goods. Not everyone cares that their mother’s birthday gift is handmade, and not everyone can, or wants to, spend the money on an original oil painting. On the other hand, there are lots of people who don’t want a souvenir of their trip to Banff National Park to be made in China.

Trying to sell to everybody is a Catch-22. You can’t focus your message and your audience can’t quite get what you’re about. Sometimes they just don’t believe you (you’re a lawyer and you offer all those services? Thanks, but I think I’ll find someone who’s really good at what I need). Try to please everybody and you’ll feel like you’re chasing ghosts. You won’t have the time or energy to give your real audience your best.

Narrowing your focus is scary at first, but doing what you do very well and delighting the people who love it is exactly what you were aiming for in the first place.

Everybody is on Facebook. Everybody has a website. Everybody loves chocolate.

None of the above statements is true. And aside from the need for food, water and shelter, there is no “everybody.” In fact, latching onto the Myth of Everybody is a great way to put a bullet in your metaphorical foot.

(In case you were wondering, I made that myth up about 10 minutes ago. I’m an aspiring guru. I have a fancy cushion and everything, now I just have to find a mountain to sit on.)

Humans have a tendency to want to follow the herd. When you hear that Facebook has over 300 million users, do you feel like you’re missing something if you’re not a member? With all those people participating, you have to be there, too, right?

Maybe.

Consider your everybody: the core group of people who love what you do, and are willing to give you money for it.

The important thing to consider when making marketing decisions is where your customers are. If they hang out on Facebook, it’s a no-brainer. If they primarily use Facebook for personal contacts, you won’t have an easy time selling to them there, but a presence gives you a way to seep into their consciousness. Marketing is essentially that—not an instant buying connection, but a way to get into someone’s head, or heart, or stomach, if you sell edibles or gourmet cooking lessons.

From where I sit (ants notwithstanding), sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are tools—not a way of life. If you have a website or blog that’s updated frequently, or if you sell from it, social media is a way to get people there. Short updates with thoughtful information, questions, or useful links are a way to establish credibility and make meaningful connections with people.

Like any tool, you have to use social media efficiently. Here are a few quick tips:

• Make up a list of links, tweets, or posts, in advance.
• Keep your target audience in mind—they’ll tell their friends about you.
• Limit the amount of time you spend on social media (you don’t have to participate every day).
• To help streamline your social media updates, check out Tweetdeck.
• Google “schedule tweets in advance” to see how you can free up some time.
• You don’t have to play in all the social sandboxes. Pick what’s right for you.

No single mindset or platform or strategy will work for, um, everybody. Focus on your core business and your core customer first.

Your thoughts: are you a social media junkie, or disinterested in the whole thing? What’s your favourite social media tool? How do you connect with your everybody?