How to check if your target market is real

It's easy to build a whole plan around an audience you've only imagined. Before you do, it's worth knowing they're real — that they exist in the numbers you're hoping for and behave the way you think they do.

Just tell Draper who you think your customer is — a rough sketch is enough to start. From there it does the legwork: Allen searches the forums and discussions where people like that gather, and Lily looks for the social accounts and conversations that match, with sources so you can see it for yourself. The more you can tell it — their interests, what they buy, where they spend time — the sharper the picture, but you don't need to have it all worked out.

If they're out there, you'll see the evidence: active communities, recurring topics, creators already serving them. If the search comes back thin, that's just as useful — Draper can help you sharpen the profile or point you toward an adjacent audience with more signal.