You’ve heard it time and again–you need to know your ideal client. The problem is that most people never take the time to get clear. They create content and offers without any real idea of who they’re actually trying to help and they are frustrated because they are attracting the wrong people to their ecosystem. Are you really clear on who your ideal client is?
The online world is saturated with tons of people who offer the same thing you offer. It’s more important than ever to get clear about who your ideal client is because everything that you create going forward is based on this person. Until you gain clarity, you’ll be throwing time and money down the drain all while reaching no one.
In this video, I’ll walk you through three quick steps for getting clarity on who your ideal client really is so that you can attract more of them! If your goal is to serve everyone, you will end up serving no one. You can’t connect with your ideal client if you don’t know who they are. But when you identify who you love to work with and their needs and desires – then everything becomes so much easier! Your message will connect at an emotional level and there is no better way than being able to provide exactly what each person wants at just the right time when he/she most needs them.
These three simple steps will help you with your clarity process.
Define What You Want in a Client
The first step is to define what you want in a client. This can be done by looking at your current client base and determining what characteristics they share and score them accordingly! Examples:
A – Your biggest best client who invests in your signature coaching program + 1:1 private coaching OR your top-tier service offer. The sales cycle tends to be longer because the cost is more
B – Your average size client who invests in your group coaching program. (should be the majority of your revenue)
C – Small client who invests in your mini offer or a one-off strategy session. They have the potential to grow to a B or an A.
If you are launching your business, then look at the people you know in business – the ones you just jive with and write their characteristics down.
Next…take this deeper by looking at who you love to work with. If you could work with one person every day, who would that be? What would you help them do and what value could you deliver? The Bonus: Getting clear on what you want will also help you to weed out the people who are not a good fit for your business.
When you know who you don’t want to work with and why, be sure to include it on your sales or website services page. For example, I made some updates to the coaching page on my website so there is a section with two columns.
>>We might be a fit to work together if…
- Every time you download a new freebie or attend a new workshop, you have MORE questions than you started with.
- You’re not interested in going viral – you’re willing to do what it takes to build a strong brand foundation.
- You’re looking for a straight-shooting coach who won’t lie to you and provides support and accountability.
- You’re not interested in overnight success – you want to do the right things to build a business that is sustainable.
>>No matter which option you choose, coaching does not work for…
- Clients who are not “coachable” (No explanation required)
- Clients who don’t make time to work on their business. (A few hours a week at a minimum)
- Clients who don’t want to use social media. (Sorry – social is required to grow in today’s landscape.)
- Clients who won’t have conversations with potential prospects via DM, phone, or email (Sorry – it’s part of the sales process)
When you know what you want in a client, it becomes much easier to identify them – it’s a how the mind works thing when you do research to find out where they are spending time. You’ll start to see the same patterns repeated in your clients, and this will help you to serve them with the right offers better.
Clarity will also help you to create an avatar that you can use for marketing and content purposes (and for your irresistible offers too). When you have an avatar, writing in a way that resonates with them becomes much easier. You’ll know the kinds of things they care about and the language they use.
Make Sure Their Gap Is Your Sweet Spot
People tend to make a purchase for one of two reasons: They have a desire they would like to be fulfilled or they have a problem that they need to be solved. Clarity will help you identify a challenge your ideal client currently faces – THE GAP – and show how you can help them “bridge that gap” from their problem to a solution you provide. Question: what do people frequently ask you for help with? Could be minor challenges and not necessarily what your signature offer is.
- Is this something you already have experience doing???
- Is this gap really in your sweet spot?
This goes back to trying to serve everyone. I saw this far too often in my days doing keynotes. Top speakers had one focus and newbies had ten different talks trying to appeal to everyone. I see the same thing now with coaches and consultants. Asking some tough questions will help you to create clarity and save you a lot of time.
Who Needs This The Most?
Now that you have an idea of your target niche, it’s time to clarify the actual need for what you do. You should have various offers to meet potential clients where they are in their journey. Answering these questions will help you get even more clarity.
- Will they resonate with your personality or personal story?
- Do they value what you do? NO tire kickers!
- Can they afford to hire you?
- Are there Facebook groups targeting your ideal client and solving the gap in your sweet spot?
- Are there courses or books on this subject that people are buying?
- Where are they spending time online?
You can begin to see a pattern emerge that will help you to determine who needs you the most. The bonus is uncovering various ways to market to them (keep track of those for your content strategy). Once you have a solid understanding of your ideal client, everything else becomes so much easier. You’ll know where they spend their time, what they care about, and how to reach them in an authentic way.
There are people out there who genuinely need and value what you offer and are happy to pay for your services so take time to work through these steps and get clear on your ideal client and the language they are using. The result is a message that attracts the people you love to work with!
P.S. If you are ready to get more clients, send me a message and I’ll send you 10 Questions To Help You Find Your Perfect People Online. The questions will spark ideas of specific places you can find them online and offline. And yes…the questions will make you think.
