How To Start An Organization From Scratch #3 Specify Beneficiaries

Every organization has its own beneficiaries. Like I said earlier, only Jesus can save the world and we should leave it that way. Whenever​ one start a business or organization, it is important to specify your target beneficiaries. No business or organization is meant to serve every body and yet many entrepreneurs fall prey to this pitfall.

In my work with startup entrepreneurs; often times when I inquire about their specific beneficiaries, the answer is generic. They tend to assume that anyone and everybody will be interested in supporting their venture which is far from the truth. No business serves the whole world, just take a look around you and you will realize every establishment has its own target clients or beneficiaries.

Now that you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish and the impact you want to create, it's time for you to consider who you want to serve. Specify the group of people that you will be specifically targeting for your products or services. Make it as specific as possible, the more specific the target group the eaiser it is to measure your impact.

When I started my organization I knew that I wanted to work with vulnerable youth. Through one on one coaching with one of my mentors, I realised that this group was so huge and their needs were so diverse. I had to zero in to a specific group of youth and focus on their specific needs as well as the best strategies to reach them. I realised even among out of school youth, there are segments as to why they dropout and that in itself differentiates their needs.

Start by taking a generic perspective of the target population you want to serve. Continue to segment that population until you zero in on the specific group of beneficiaries that you want to serve. The more specific your target group, the easier it is to design programs that meet their specific needs. Remember the relevance of your organization lies in meeting the needs of your primary clients or beneficiaries.

I meet alot of social entrepreneurs trying to provide solutions for diverse groups of people and no wonder they score below the line. Having a vague target population is likened to a man who shoots aimlessly, you never know when you hit your target since it's not specific. Building an organization that with stands the test of time begins with specifying your primary customers and specifying your programs to meet their needs .