One question that needs to be addressed is, ‘Who is our audience?’
First, it’s important to know how significant this answer is.
Let me explain:
We write to a specific group of people; married couples.
That’s not to say unmarried people won’t benefit from our articles, courses, and videos. They can.
But we create content for married couples.
Yet, not just any married couple.
Our target audience is couples who want to improve their relationship, or learn how to create a marriage worth having.
They are not necessarily couples in trouble. Although we do address those marriages.
They are couples who fall in the middle of the pack when it comes to their relationship.
The 20% Fringe Group
Here’s how we see it (after years of working with a wide range of couples)…
There is a fringe group that makes up roughly 20% of most marriages. And, justy so you know, this is a scientifically proven breakdown. It merely comes from observing couples over decades, and identifying common characteristics in successful and unsuccessful couples.
This fringe group is NOT our target audience. Here’s why:
The 10% ‘Extreme’ Segment
10% of couples are in a no-win situation that is detrimental to their health.
Perhaps it’s emotionally, or physically abuse, or the marriage has deteriorated so far that the marriage can’t be saved. And it’s in the best wellfare of the person to leave the marriage.
It’s hard for me to write those words because I am the ultimate optimist, and believe with the right tools, commitment, and skill, most marriages can be saved.
The key word here is ‘most.’
I wish it was all. But the harsh reality is, some marriages can’t (and even shouldn’t be salvaged – abuse is a hard line you should draw in any relationship). If you are in an abusive situation, our advice is to ‘get out’ now!
Many people say, abusers can change. Just give them a chance. Our counsel is no. While they might change, it is not in your best interest to wait and find out. So, leave. Your well-being is priority.
With that said, 10% of marriages fall into this category. They are abusive and/or irreconcilable differences.
While you will find this issue addressed, it does not comprise our major focus. They are a fringe group and we do not cater this segment of marriages. This is not our audience (per se).
Here’s what that looks like:
The 10% ‘Never Change’ Segment
There is another 10% that is not our major focus. I call them the narcassitic, never change group.
This segment is small (although I sometimes think I give people too much credit and it’s larger than I want to think). They are made of couples where one partner is so self-serving and narcissitic that the partner is incapable (outside of a miracle) of admitting wrong, changing their behavior, or giving serious consideration to their spouse.
When they do ‘pay attention to their partner’ it is usually with a hidden agenda.
These people can’t be trusted, therefore it is hard to maintain a healthy relationship with them.
In this type relationship, hard decisions have to be made.
Can you continue to live in a situation where your needs are never met, and your future is unsure?
While we do not advocate divorce, marriages in this condition need professional help. We have articles that can help, and we will point you in the right direction, but this is typically not our target audience.
This group is on the other end of the spectrum (although similar to abusive relationships) and comprise roughly 10% of couples.
Here’s what this segment looks like (adding up to 20% of the fringe):
The 80% in the Middle
When we eliminate the 10% group that will never change, and the 10% group that is extreme, it leaves the 80% in the middle.
This is the majority of marriages. And this is our target audience.
While they vary greatly in age, race, and ‘marriage quality,’ they have certain things in common.
Here is a brief list of some of the main characteristics of this group.
They Want Their Marriage To Be Better
Those in this 80% middle, really do want their marriage to be all it wasn’t meant to be.
In fact, the majority of the men we talk with have a deep desire to please, serve, and honor their wives. They may get it wrong over and over, but deep down, they want their wife to be happy.
The same can be said of the majority of wives; they want their husband to be happy.
While they experience setbacks (sometimes serious setbacks like affairs, job loss, death of a child, etc), they love each other and want to fix what is broken.
They Have Problems And Are Not Perfect
They go through ups and downs, but are willing to work to make it better.
As I’ve mentioned, sometimes the problems they encounter threaten the very nature of their relationship; but deep down this middle group wants their marriage to work.
Their Issues Cover A Wide Range Of Topics
It should be obvious that no two people are exactly alike. The same goes with marriages.
Our differences as individuals often cause conflict in our personal relationships. This is amplified in marriage.
The range of problems is broad.
- Communication problems
- Intimacy issues
- Broken trust
- Financial pressure
- Loss
- Lack of shared values
- Unresolved baggage from the past
The list is almost endless. But there are are a few underlying issues that must be addressed in order to create a healthy marriage.
Here’s what this looks like on our line chart:
The Marriage Pyramid
No matter what condition your marriage is in, we hope you find something here that will help you move forward.
Our goal is address the issues of couples in the 80% middle, so they can move in the right direction.
We build our content around our ‘Marriage Pyramid.’
We have found that when couples adopt this process and foundation, they increase their likelihood of having a great relationship. Without it, the odds are stacked against them.
Before You Go
Now that you know our target audience, take time to look through our courses, articles, and videos.
Website Navigation Help
You can search for articles using the search bar.
You can also search by topics. You can find a list of topics in the right-hand side bar.
We also have a list of our most recent (and most popular) article series. You will find that list on the right-hand side bar as well. This changes from time to time, so the list shown below may not be the current list. You can always use the search bar to find exactly what you are looking for.
One Final Thing
We have courses and programs that will help you create the marriage you desire and deserve. You can find a list in our ‘Healthy Marriage Academy.‘