The number one issue that my small business clients bring to the table is “I don’t know where to find new clients.” When I follow this question up with “Who is your ideal client?” I am often met with the answer “Anyone.” Or “this product is suitable for everybody.” Occasionally they have narrowed it down to a gender or group “Any woman with a face can buy my skin care…” “Any business that needs printing can use me.”
This is where the problem lies. In trying to suit “everyone”they have missed out on the opportunity to capture the attention of “anyone”.
Many people are worried that if they narrow down their client they will miss out on business. But the statistics show the opposite to be true. When you identify your ideal client you are able to specifically target and appeal to the audience that is exactly right for you. This simple exercise will expand and grow your business with ease.
Let’s use a real life example to explain this further – my path to finding my ideal client.
A Confused Idea
When I first started out in the consulting field I wrote that my ideal client was a “global executive”. That is a REALLY broad audience. What kind of global executive? What industry? Was I targeting the whole globe or just my part of it? Was I looking for people who traveled the globe or those who sat in their offices and managed a global team? The questions could go on and on.
With a “Global executive” as the “ideal client”, I was constantly confused with what my messaging should be, I changed my branding colors EIGHT times in two years. I had no idea where to go look for this client because a Linkedin search of “global executive” brought up over 100 pages of search results.
My business coach at the time asked me to describe the picture I had in my head of this ideal client. I will be very honest here – I closed my eyes…and my mind was blank. I didn’t know my ideal client, because I had no idea what he or she looked like!
She gave me several practical ways to narrow this down and I’m going to share them with you.
7 Ways to Identify your Ideal Client
#1. Look at who you currently work with that you LOVE working with.
Write down everything you like about working with them. Write down the characteristics you like about them. Write down why they came to you in the 1st place. (And if you don’t know schedule a quick call to ask them!)
#2. Identify the clients you may be working with or may have worked with in the past that you never want to work with again.
No shame in this game. We have clients that may be nice people (or maybe the weren’t) but they took more of our time and energy than they were worth. Write down what you didn’t like about working with them. Jot down the characteristics you didn’t enjoy and why you didn’t like them. And then write down how you ended up with them in the 1st place. (i.e. Did you price your product too low? Did you give in to scarcity mentality and take them on even when you didn’t want to? Did you say yes…even when the back of your mind said no?)
#3. Identify what the people in question #1 want.
What are their goals? What do they want to achieve using your product or service? What are their aspirations? The answers to all of these questions helps you identify how to niche down your marketing to target them.
#4. Know what they are scared of.
Fact of business – fear sells. While I do not subscribe to taking advantage of people’s fears to get their business, what I do believe is that if you know what they fear you can find the problem they have that needs to be solved.
#5. Understand their habits.
Where are they looking for the answers to their needs? What are their hobbies? Where are they spending their time online? By knowing the answers to these questions you will better know how to find them and market to them with ease.
#6. How do they make their buying decisions?
This answer is KEY for you and your business. If you have an audience who makes on the spot decisions you need to have a product that can be purchased on the spot. OR maybe your ideal client is a researcher, have a great FAQ page filled with answers and a place where others can leave reviews so your customer can make their decision with a stronger assurance of what they are getting.
#TopTip: Don’t make your audience guess how to buy from you – I have a client who will not click more than 3 times on a website…after that you’ve lost her and she moves on to something else.
#7. What problem are you solving for them?
What does your ideal client need and how are you providing it?
When you take the time to truly go through and answer all of these questions you will be able to close your eyes and see your ideal client.
Meet “Mike”
Let’s go back to my initial example. After quite a bit of work on my part I narrowed down my niche to a 43 year old male executive named Mike. He works for a global corporation based in the United States. His job duties include managing a small international team and traveling monthly. Married with 2 children, his wife is also has a high profile and demanding job. They live in San Francisco in a house they are currently remodelling. On paper, this man has it all, however, at the root of who he is he feels he is missing out on something and is looking for someone to help him discover what that is. That someone – is me.
I know Mike and his whole story. I’ve familiarized myself with his wants, his needs, his desires, his goals. Because I know this, I know what branding to use. Furthermore, I know where to go find him (Hint LinkedIn) and how to market to him.
As a result of this knowledge I have stopped saying yes to clients who didn’t pay my bills and took all of my time and energy. Equally, I stopped floundering to find the right marketing. Most importantly, I started getting inquiries from the “Mikes” of the world, and I started thriving in business.
Now it is your turn. Do you know who your ideal target client is? If not, take the time to work through the 7 points above to gain more clarity.
p.s. This exercise is done in more detail in the Business Gems Academy – Clarify Your Business workshop – check our events page to find out when the next one is and sign up today.
