Think about your client base. Who did you think of first? Did you think of the groups that are easy to work with or those that require a bit more patience?
I tend to think of those that are a joy to work with. The groups that come to mind first, understand the benefits of what we do; they are proud to work with us and often tell their friends and colleagues about our shared successes and they are people I truly enjoy getting to know. We root for them and get so excited to review their reporting. We like to brag about what they do well and we do it a lot!
When you think of your favorite clients, what do they have in common? Are they from a similar industry? Common company size?Were they referrals from the same source? Identifying these commanlities can help you to hone in on your ideal client.
Isn’t everyone my ideal client you ask?! Don’t we want to sell as much as possible, to as many people as we can?
Sure, that would be fantastic. And would totally help fund the trip to Iceland I’ve been planning. But not everyone is your ideal client.
What about the client that continually shops your service around every couple of months or the customer who really doesn’t understand the benefit of your product or the one that lives too far away and often cancels at the last minute? Are these people really the best match for your company? Will you have a long term relationship? Or will it fizzle out at the end of a contract?
The closer you get to identifying your ideal client, the better you can cultivate your marketing plan. Who are these people? What services or products are they looking for? Where can I find them?
Once you become more specific about who your ideal client is, the easier it will be to attract them.
So, who is your ideal client? Think about it and write it down. Now tell people. Start with us…maybe we know them.
