Do You Know Your Ideal Client?
Most of us are familiar with the terms “target audience” and “ideal client”, and chances are you have at least some idea of what these people look like for your business.
You’ve probably given some thought to their age, location, income and wants/needs. I’d like to push you on this a little bit today, though, and ask whether you really know them.
Do you know what their core values are?
Do you know their strengths? Weaknesses?
What motivates them?
What kind of social media they consume?
You might be thinking, “Um, how could I know those things without tracking them down and asking?”
Well, I’m here to tell you that getting a well-rounded picture of your audience does not require stalking or interrogating. All you need is 30 minutes and the right journaling prompts.
Why is an ideal client profile important?
Before I share the journaling technique, I want to stress how powerful it is to deeply understand your business’s ideal client.
In the simplest terms, writing copy, whether its for social media, your newsletter, your blog or your sales pages, will become 100 times easier and maybe even – dare I say it? – FUN to do! When you can direct your work to an image of an actual person, the words flow almost effortlessly onto the page.
More importantly, knowing who this person is will start to guide your business decisions like a beacon. Choices you used to mull over will become easy to make. Your “why” will fall right into place, followed by your “what” and “how”. And best of all, you’ll start to attract dreamier (and often higher-paying) clients when they can tell that you really understand them.
I tell you, it’s almost magical how a little creative visualization can yield such fruitful results.
The Exercise
So, how do we pin down this magical being that is our ideal client? Carve out 20-30 solid minutes and grab your journal. (I always find hand-writing things like this works best.)
Answer the following questions. (This might feel silly at first since you’re devising these answers yourself, but try envisioning a former client to get yourself going.)
What is my client’s name?
What is their gender identity?
How do they spend their days?
What is their biggest dream?
What is their greatest fear?
Before I came along, where did they turn to for advice?
After walking away from a session with me, how do they feel?
Where do they hang out on social media?
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to illustrating your target audience, but it will give you a framework for understanding how you as a business owner can start to impact this person’s life and dreams.
I encourage you to save this piece of notebook paper and pin it somewhere in your workspace where you can always see it. The next time you're feeling blocked or uninspired, remember this profile and visualize the person you are here to serve. Not only will you feel more grounded, but you'll probably also feel a few new ideas come to the surface.