Key takeaways:
- Why it’s key to define your ideal client
- How can you identify your target market?
- Analyze your current & past clients
- Develop a profile of your best client
- Size up the competition
- Build a brand statement
Have you defined your ideal client?
Do you know who you want to work with?
Here’s a hint: don’t answer “everyone!”
Identifying your market is the cornerstone of a successful business. By targeting a market and limiting your audience, you can increase sales.
How?
Your marketing content becomes specific and pertinent to your targeted audience.
Simply put, you stand out from all the fish swimming in the sea: you’re not lost in a vast pool. You’ve defined your market. Now you have the specific bait you need to capture the attention of your ideal client.
As you grow your business, you will be more effective and satisfied with your work if you spend more time on what you consider ideal clients and less time on everyone else.
When you target your market, you’re able to assist your clients with what they need – and bypass customers that don’t relate to what you offer.
Who is Your Ideal Client?
To identify your target clients, ask some basic questions:
- How old are they? What is their education?
- What do they look like? Ethnicity? Family status?
- What’s their stage of life? Empty nesters? New parents? Retirees?
- What is their gender orientation?
- What TV shows do they watch, radio shows do they listen to, and magazines do they read?
- Where do they buy their clothes, eat dinner, and spend their down time?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help make your marketing efforts much more effective. Why? It will help you more clearly define your target market and direct your steps toward gaining ideal clients every time.
When you’ve answered those basic questions, ask more detailed ones:
- Who will benefit from your services?
- Why will they benefit from what you offer?
- How are you different from your competitors?
- What can you deliver that sets you apart from the competition?
Analyze Your Past & Current Clients
A great way to start figuring out the answers to these questions is to look at your past and current clients. Determine the clients that have been the best to work with – and why.
Don’t forget: just because you’ve targeted your audience doesn’t limit others from signing on as clients. While you can’t target everyone, you certainly have the ability to sell to everyone!
Consider the following in your analysis:
- Communication – what is the nature and means of the communication with the client? Are they direct or indirect? Do they prefer email, phone calls, or in-person conversations?
- Demographics – what is the clients’ age, gender orientation, education level, geographic location, etc?
- Personality – is the client an introvert or extrovert? Are they a leader or a follower? Do they tend to listen or talk?
- Strengths – what are the clients’ strengths and weaknesses? What are their interests? Are they organized and detail orientated or creative?
- Work – also consider the scope and nature of the work that you are performing for each client, as this can be a factor in the relationship – this may lead you to refine your niche.
Remember to include what’s good – and what’s bad, too.
Analyze what your best (and worst) clients may have in common. This will give you a very insightful view into your ideal client persona. You may also consider conducting a survey of your current clients to see what they have in common.
Develop a Profile of Your Ideal Client, Then…
Establish a solid client profile based on the answers to those questions.
Think of it as a process where you prune your audience from “everyone” to selected groups.
Once you’ve determined the profile of your ideal client, go after them! Working with clients gleaned from your targeting efforts will improve your business and your outcomes.
While you should remain focused, this is not set in stone. It’s very likely that your ideal client profile will change as your business develops, so remain flexible.
Bonus Tip: What’s Your Competition Been Up To?
Wait up! Have you checked out your competition lately? Identifying what your competitors are doing can provide you with vital clues for your own strategies – this holds true while you’re in the research phase of identifying your ideal client, as well as after you launch your marketing efforts.
Here’s a bonus of this entire process: Getting clear on your target market, building a client profile and analyzing your competitors can provide invaluable insights to guide even your toughest business decisions.
For instance, maybe you discover the need to pivot. The information you gain can guide your next steps.
“When you feel that there’s too much competition in your niche or you realize you’re not attracting enough customers to be profitable, changing the direction of your business can put you on the path to success.” Shaunak Amin, SnackMagic co-founder and CEO
Next Up: Create Your Brand Statement
By discovering the answers regarding your target audience, creating a target marketing statement is your next task.
This specific, concise statement conveys what you have to offer to your targeted audience and can inspire and guide your marketing strategy.
Here’s an example for a coaching profile: “John is a coach who drives high-achieving business owners to their creative best. As a business entrepreneur himself, John possesses – and presents – the hands-on experience you need to build your success.”
Got it? It’s all about what you can offer to help your clients achieve their desired goals.
Now, tell us: what have you done (or will you do) to identify and attract more of your ideal clients?
Once you’ve identified your ideal clients, let Marketecs help you reach them so your coaching business can flourish! Set up a time to chat with a digital marketing expert today.
