Lured by the promise of a free drink, I joined PharmaMarketing’s John Mack last night for a meal and conversation at a hotel near Princeton. While there, I spoke briefly about JNJBTW. Okay — I’m not going to bore you with a recap of what I said, but I think it is was worth reiterating one blogging “aha” moments that I shared as everyone digested their chicken, flank steak and penne pasta with shrimp.

When I started JNJBTW, I thought my audience would be pretty much those who write about the business of healthcare — reporters, editors, healthcare bloggers — those folks. What I’ve found, after doing this for a year, is that the people reading this are, well, er, people. Doctors, nurses, consumers — employees and retirees — people who hate the company and people who support what we do — friends, neighbors, my father-in-law… well, you get the idea.

Now those who have been blogging for a while may think, “well, duh!?” but for me it was an important point — particularly since I’m often asked “who is your audience?” My answer, which many people scoff at, is that it is everybody — that I don’t define my audience, but that the audience defines itself.