Getting Crystal Clear on Your Ideal Customer

Ever heard the saying, "when you speak to everyone, you speak to no one?"

Or perhaps, "Everyone is not your customer"?

Bottom line – you need to know your ideal customer because the clearer you are, the more targeted your messaging will be. Generic messaging meant to speak to the masses doesn't connect with anyone. But when you have a new business or a new product/service, it can be hard to know your ideal customer.

When I started my business, I kinda had an idea who my ideal customer was. Or at least I thought I did. But at best, it was vague. And at worst, it was anyone willing to pay me. But with each new client I took on, the vision became more and more clear. Fast-forward to today, and I'm very clear on the type of client that I genuinely enjoy working with, and those are the ones I seek out in my marketing efforts. I ensure my copy connects by addressing their most significant pain points.  And because we connect, they usually want to work with me, too!  Not to mention they appreciate it when I solve their problem.

Too many business owners aren't clear on their ideal client or, worse yet, are willing to work with anyone. This leads to two significant issues:

1.     Working with people you'd rather not.  And let's be honest, didn't most of us start our businesses so we could do what we love. That includes working with people we enjoy!

2.     Difficulty attracting new clients because you're going after everyone.  If you cast too wide of a net, you may attract many people, but your conversion rate will be very low because you weren't targeted. And lots of time will be wasted on conversations that never should have happened.

A deep and thorough understanding of the ideal client I'm targeting is critical in my work. If I can't put myself in my ideal client's shoes, I can't create good copy. It's just a string of words that may sound decent but doesn't connect with anyone. So when I write copy for myself or any of my clients, I spend considerable time understanding who they want to work with the most. And then make sure the copy I write is done from their perspective. Remember, your client cares about what's in it for them, which means your copy has to be written in their voice.

So what should you do if you aren't clear on your ideal customer? Challenge yourself to think of the clients you enjoy working with the most. You need to have a very clear mental image of this person. This includes demographics, personality traits, and hobbies/interests, And if you share the details with anyone else, they will come up with the same image. And let's face it, as business owners, we also know the clients we prefer not to work with, so keep them in mind when defining your ideal customer. It's just as important to understand the traits they DON'T have, too. 

But what if you have a new business and haven't had many (or any) clients to know who you enjoy working with the most? Many business owners start out thinking everyone could technically be their customer. And while that may be true, do you want to work with just anyone? Think back to when you dreamed about starting your own business. Who was it you imagined helping? You have a product or service you want to share with people who you want to help the most.  Focus on that person when you market your business.

Your ideal customer isn't static. They’re probably changing. Maybe not dramatically, but as your customers' needs change along with your services, who you want to help most should also be evolving. Ask yourself the following:

• Has there been a change in your customer base?

• Do you want to change your customer base?

• Who do you want to work with more often?

• Is there anyone you no longer wish to work with?

Take the time in the coming weeks to think about your ideal customer. Have they changed over the past year and is your messaging designed to speak to them?  Knowing exactly who you’re trying to target is the perfect way to start the new year!