“Ideal Client” is not just a buzzword. YES, it’s thrown around a LOT. And YES, there’s a reason for that. It’s super duper important. In fact, you won’t find a successful business of any kind that doesn’t have an ideal client profile. If the thought of identifying your ideal client is causing instant analysis paralysis – never fear! This blog is here to help you sort through this whole “ideal client” thing once and for all.
But first, here’s a little terminology lesson:
Ideal Clients vs. Target Market vs. Niches
I know, it’s confusing, right? These three terms seem so similar. Is finding your target market the same as discovering your niche? And identifying your ideal client should also help you with your target market and niche, right? If your head is spinning, you’re not alone.
Let’s really delve into what each of these terms mean, and how each of them plays a different role in helping you market your business effectively.
Niche – This term is almost exclusively used to describe a specialized service that you provide. Examples: Pinterest management, Instagram lead generation, Graphic content creation, Kajabi course support, Email marketing funnel creation
Target Market – This term is used to describe the general group of people to whom you will be selling your services. This includes specific industries and general demographics.
Examples: Female business coaches, mid-market real estate companies, and online-based travel agencies
Ideal Client – This term refers to a specific person that directly benefits from the services you offer. They almost certainly work in your target market and definitely need the service(s) in your niche. This is where you can get deeper into the “who” behind your target market. Ideal clients are often called “client avatars”. This is because in order to effectively market your services to this fictitious client, you need to give them a name, backstory, and visualize the very real person that’s looking for exactly what you have to offer.
Your starting point is…
Everyone comes into this business with different backgrounds and goals. Some have no idea what services they want to offer, who they want to target, or who that person is. Others might know exactly the service they want to offer, but might not have a target market. Some know exactly what their target market is, but don’t know what services they will need. Others might have a very clear picture of the person they want to help, but not have the other missing pieces.
In short, your entry point into finding your ideal client might be different depending on where you are in your journey, and how much you’ve figured out so far. Niches and target markets are lessons for another day. Just remember that those pieces of the puzzle might be just what you need if you find yourself struggling to identify your ideal client.
Ideal Clients, aka “Dream” Clients
At the intersection of the services you offer (niche) and the people who need those services (target market)– you will find your ideal client. Let’s set the stage:
Ideal clients are your “dream” clients. ALL ideal clients are easy to work with, are happy to pay your prices, and are looking for *exactly* the services you offer. They are thrilled to give you referrals, value your time, respect your boundaries, and communication is not a problem. These are the clients who will help shape your business. With that in mind, let’s start to identify some of the key characteristics of YOUR ideal clients:
General Attributes
This section deals with general demographics- things like age, geographical location, and income. Here are some of the questions you should be able to answer beyond the super general demographics I just mentioned:
- Do they have a family?
- What kind of education do they have?
- Are they affiliated with any religious groups?
- What kind of job do they have?
- What is their marital status?
Behavior and personality
This section deals with psychographics, or the behavior and personality of your ideal clients. This is where the person on the paper begins to take shape and you can begin to visualize a real, living person that exists in the world. These are some of the questions that can help you identify the kind of characteristics that you want in an ideal client:
- What kind of charities are they likely to donate to?
- What kind of car do they drive?
- Where do they vacation?
- Where do they spend the most time outside of work?
- What words would you use to describe their personality?
Motivations and Fears
If you thought the last list of questions was personal, think again! The entire goal of identifying your ideal client is to be able to find, attract, and ultimately sell them on your services. In order to do that effectively, we need to know how they think. Specifically, we need to know what motivates them to do the things they do, buy the things they buy, and say the things they say. This is the section that may feel the most difficult and may require some market research.
- What motivated them to start their business?
- Can you name their biggest challenges to success?
- What obstacles do they face on a daily basis?
- What brings them joy?
- Who do they trust the most in this world?
Here’s where the magic happens
Once you have nailed down the answers to these questions, it becomes WORLDS easier to answer the really critical questions that will enable you to market your business effectively.
Questions like: Where is my ideal client hanging out online? What services do my ideal client need the most? What kind of content can I create to speak directly to my ideal client pain points?
Are you starting to form a general idea of what your ideal client looks like? I can’t wait for you to see the shift that this can make in your business!
Attracting and finding your ideal client is a lesson for another day (or you can just check out these blogs here and here).
