We’ve all heard the term average tossed around—average income, average height, average customer. But here’s the thing: the concept of “average” is just a mathematical convenience, not a real-world reality. And if you’re trying to run a business or market a product based on averages, you might be aiming at a target that doesn’t even exist.
Let’s break it down with a quirky example.
If you were to blend together the characteristics of every human on earth, you might conclude that the “average” human has one breast and one testicle. That’s because males and females each make up roughly 50% of the population. Mathematically, you’d be right. But clearly, that “average human” doesn’t actually exist.
Still think you’re average?
It’s a little absurd when you look at it like that, right? Yet so many business owners and marketers make decisions based on “average” customer profiles—average age, average income, average number of kids. The problem is, just like our imaginary hybrid human, the average customer is a statistical ghost. You won’t find them walking into your store, signing up for your services, or subscribing to your newsletter.
This is where the concepts of typical and median come into play.
Instead of trying to reach the mythical average, try identifying your typical customer. Who are the people that most frequently buy from you? What problems are they trying to solve? What language do they use to describe their needs? Better yet, consider looking at the median—the midpoint customer—especially when dealing with data like income or purchase size. The median avoids being skewed by outliers (like that one customer who bought 100 gift baskets at Christmas).
Famed fighter pilot and engineer Todd Rose famously explored the problem with averages in his book The End of Average, he explained how, in fields like education, business, and even military design, designing for the “average” leads to failure. Success comes when we design and market for real people—not statistical composites.
When it comes to marketing, specificity wins. You can’t (and shouldn’t) try to be everything to everyone. You need to focus on resonating with a clearly defined segment of your market. It’s better to have 100 raving fans than 1,000 lukewarm ones.
Here’s a quick way to reframe your marketing mindset:
Don’t ask, “What does the average customer want?”
Instead, ask, “What does my most likely customer need right now?”
You’ll find that your messaging becomes clearer, your ads convert better, and your customers feel more understood.
