Zero in on your ideal client

As a small business owner, do you know who you want to work with? If your ideal client walked through the door right now, how would you describe him or her?

Many start-up businesses make the assumption that they need to appeal to a broad audience or a target market. However, if you are appealing to everyone, or even a group of people, you’re actually appealing to no one.

Think about it. People relate to people, to their stories, to what makes them unique. It’s one of the reasons why social media is such an awesome way to build relationships with potential clients. The connection points are shared experiences, dreams, struggles and ideas, not just demographic profiles.

One of the things I do with my clients (both in my small group programs and individual workshops) is spend some concentrated time working on who it is they most want to work with (and it’s not necessarily who they are working with).

The reason for this is because:

• Having a picture of who your ideal client is frames your branding, marketing and communication. It helps you brainstorm new ideas and opportunities to connect with the people you most want to work with.

• Identifying your ideal client helps you to stop wasting time and energy on people who will never buy from you and focus on those who really need your help and who are willing to invest in themselves.

• Instead of writing or speaking to a crowd, you write or speak to a person. Instead of appealing to everyone, you appeal to those people who most resonate with you.

The more you gear your branding and communication around your ideal client, the more you start to attract clients to your business who you are excited to work with rather than problem clients who make you groan.

Earlier this year I went through the process of identifying my ideal client and the impact on my business, branding and communication has been incredible.

I now work with wonderful clients who are very much aligned with my ideal client. One of the most powerful aspects of this for me has been that I’ve also been able to identify people I don’t want to work with, early in the piece.

Business owners sometimes feel they need to work with everyone and that to be picky will be to their detriment. In fact, the opposite has been true for me. Having clarity about who you most want to work with empowers you to say “no.”

So, are you still trying to reach a broad audience or do you have a person in mind when you ask yourself: Who would I love to work with?

Have a think about it and brainstorm who that person might be and if you have questions, feel free to ask below or connect with me on Twitter or Facebook.

Originally published on Content Marketing Cardiology