Getting clear on your ideal client is one of THE most important things you can do in your business. Every world-class marketer I know spends an incredible amount of time focussing on understanding and clarifying exactly WHO their Ideal Client is. And there’s a reason for that. Having a clear picture of your Ideal Client and really making your business client-centred has tons of advantages, including:
- More effective brand positioning (because trying to say everything to everyone, means you end up saying nothing to no-one).
- Greater clarity for your business planning (it’s much easier to say YES or NO to opportunities, ideas, JV partners, etc. when you know WHO you are serving).
- Lower cost of sale (the clearer you get on your ideal client – what makes them tick, what they are worried about, what they really want – the more targeted your marketing becomes – and that leads to better conversions that cost you less).
- Your Ideal Clients are just better to work with! (because they LOVE what you do, they are usually more profitable, more aligned with your purpose and less likely to ask for refunds or be a drain on your customer service).
- A more passionate tribe – Remember, it’s ok to polarize people – when you are clearly speaking to your ideal client – they will gravitate to you. (Think Harley Davidson – they are very clear on their “tribe” and their customers become more like avid fans as a result. Being clear on your ideal client will increase your client retention and help you build a strong, loyal customer base).
- Creating your content is easier! – (if you’re struggling to create content such as blog posts, social media posts, ebooks, videos or even emails for your audience right now, that may mean you need to get much clearer on your Ideal Client. I find the clearer I am about my ideal client, the easier my content is to create – sometimes it feels like it writes itself!).
3 Ways To Get To Know WHO Your Ideal Client Is… Here are 3 of the most effective ways I’ve found to get crystal clear about who my ideal client is: 1. Commit to empathy When I ask many business owners to tell me who their ideal client is, they will say something like this “Oh, they are men aged between 30 and 55 who want to grow their businesses”. Did you notice how general that was? The deeper and more specific your understanding of your ideal client – their emotions, their “silent struggles”, their frustrations, their big dreams – the better. I ask my clients to commit to a much more empathic understanding of their ideal customer.
Because when you can articulate the inner most thoughts, struggles, fears and dreams of your ideal clients, your marketing becomes magnetic.
That’s because your message cuts through all the generic “blah blah” that your prospects are being hit with every day. Empathy is understanding another person’s situation from their perspective. You put yourself in their shoes and really feel what they are feeling. And it’s from this place that you create your content, design your product, make strategic decisions, prepare your advertising… … I encourage you to give this a try and just watch what happens! This one shift can revolutionise your business. 2. Ask Often times we “think” we know what makes our ideal clients tick. After all, you are probably working with some of these people already. But I would encourage you to “drop your assumptions at the door” regarding what you think you know about your ideal client and starting asking for information. You can do that by: a. Looking at your existing data – sales records, database info, industry research b. Surveying your existing customers – Remember, make the questions more than just the usual suspects about age and occupation. Dig deeper so you can empathise with your audience – ask them about their biggest challenges, what’s worrying them right now etc. c. One on One Interviews – This is one of the most powerful things you can do – pick your top 5 ideal clients and ask them for 30 minutes of their time. These interviews can be in person or via phone or Skype. 3. Document Your Ideal Client Avatar The third most effective thing you can do to get crystal clear on your ideal client is to create an Ideal Client Avatar document. Based on points 2 and 3 above, collate what you have learned into a document where you summarise the key characteristics of your ideal client. I encourage you to give this person a name and find a photo from a stock library that most represents that person. Do as much as you can to make them “real” – add everything you’ve learned about them – the usual demographics but also the deeper exploration of their feelings, concerns, hopes, fears. And make this document available to your team. Put it near your desk when you are writing your content. Share it with your designer so at every level of your business you are putting your ideal client front and centre. Here’s a step-by-step process for you: Want to know more about how to create your ideal client avatar? Visit the Australian Businesswomen’s Podcast: Content Sells to get this FREE download: 7 Essential Steps To Creating Your Ideal Client Avatar And check out the podcast Episode 02: Your Ideal Client for more great tips and advice.
