If you think your ideal client is everyone with a pulse, you
need to think about this again. Even
with my franchise, some might simply think that my ideal client was someone who
needed my services, who lived within my territory, and could afford the
services. That sounds reasonably simple,
doesn’t it? That’s what I thought in the
beginning. It isn’t that simple.
You need to clearly define your ideal client. What are your ideal client’s
characteristics? Think about it. You need to have a mental picture of this
person. Is there an age group or gender
that you are serving? What are this
person’s personal and business goals? Does
this person have problems or stresses?
What is this person’s work style?
What kind of salary does this person have? Which iPhone apps does this ideal
client use? There are many questions
that you can ask as you develop your image of your ideal client. When I worked for a major retailer, there
were a few client types that were in mind and an avatar was developed for each
one. For example, Sally is a single mom
who has a successful career in accounting, on a path to be a director. She spends much of her free time with her two
children and makes time to participate with a local mom’s group. She is too tired at the end of the night to
do housework...
If you don’t have a focus, you will be wasting your time,
money, and energy. You need to have your
“Sally” in mind so that you know where to focus your efforts, spend your
marketing dollars in the right area, and know exactly where you can reach your
clients.
Now that you have your ideal client defined, you can design
your message to attract that kind of person.
Then, as your business gets busier, you need to be brave and let go of
the existing clients who do not match your ideal client profile. You will be amazed at how much time that will
free up for you and your resources – allowing you to find more ideal clients.
