Today I’m going to talk about your ideal customer, and while I’m not going to necessarily dive into the nitty gritty demographics of them, I am going to prompt you with four questions that will help you sell to them.
Many of us are currently working on launches for products or services or new programs, and in order for us to be able to sell these offerings, we really need to understand who we’re selling to.
I’m sure each of us has done an ideal customer exercise in the past – if you haven’t, give it a shot. The questions I’m going to prompt you with later will take those details a step further.
So, what is an ideal customer?
Your ideal customer is someone that you will keep in mind whenever you’re creating something for your business. Whatever you’re creating – your ideal customer is at the core of it.
I find it easier to think of this “someone” as a character or an avatar, so that you can really visualize and picture them.
This character could be based on an actual customer that you have, or someone that you’ve worked with, but it’s generally someone that you would love to have as a customer, someone who would embody your dream customer.
Here’s why you an ideal customer.
First, without an ideal customer, chances are you’re really not going to sell much of anything. In order to ethically and honestly sell to someone, you have to actually understand what they want, their deepest frustrations and their desires.
Second, if you don’t have an ideal customer, it’s very likely that you will attract those types of customers that are somewhat less-than-ideal. And we’ve all had a few of those experiences before! These are the customers that don’t value what you do, your pricing, or your time, and it’s all because they weren’t meant to be your customers in the first place.
Third and lastly, if you’re not clear about who you are targeting, everything that you put out there, from your content to your promotions, will likely be too general and too generic – all ending up as a complete waste of time.
Now, many entrepreneurs are afraid to get too specific with their ideal customer. Either they feel like they’re missing out on possible leads, or they’re afraid that they are labeling themselves as a provider for only one particular group.
But I’m here to tell you: if you’re trying to sell to everybody, you will sell to nobody.
Your messaging will be lost. There won’t be any soul or emotion with it. It will be impossible for someone to identify with it because it’s forgettable and generic.
And you won’t just speak to one person – many people will identify with your messaging because it sparks something inside them. At the end of the day, you will attract a variety of people to your business, even if you’re speaking to that one ideal customer. This because you’re focusing on one very specific problem and one very specific solution.
I’m now going to lead you through a quick visualization to get you thinking about your ideal customer in a more clear and meaningful way.
Visualization
So, close your eyes. Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you open them again. Breathe in. Breathe out.
This visualization takes place in your office. If you don’t have one, simply imagine your place of work. Or place yourself in an office setting.
Now, envision sitting in your office.
You’re preparing for your day.
You tidy up, and then you sit for a moment to prepare for your client.
You know what you plan to work on today; because it is the one service or product you most enjoy providing to your clients.
This client in particular has seen amazing results and you’re filled with such pride and eagerness to see them again.
You hear the front door open, and you know it’s your client in the waiting area.
You stand up to head out of your office to greet your client.
As you open your office door, you walk down the hall and turn the corner to the waiting area, and there’s your client so happy to see you.
Now, take a moment to see your client. Look at who they are as a person, where they are now and where they have been.
What are they wearing?
What are they holding?
How do they look at you?
You eagerly greet them and escort them to your office. You feel enthusiastic to begin working with them, but also at ease, because this is the person you’ve been wanting to help for your entire career.
This person you’re helping represents your ideal client.
Breathe it in. Breathe it out. Now, open your eyes.
Think about how you feel. You’re getting closer to understanding your ideal customer.
So I want you to step into your ideal customer’s shoes for a moment. This time you are going to pretend that you are them, and when I ask these questions, think about how they relate to your business. After all, your customer wants your offerings. Ask yourself these questions:
- What is the problem I am facing right now?
- What do I fear might fail in my life if I do not find a solution?
- If money were no object, what solution would I buy to solve this problem?
- If that dream solution could appear and solve my problem, what would change in my life?
Ok, now return to yourself again. Once you ask these questions and understand your ideal customer, you can position yourself as their dream solution. Who would they go to receive the healing or education or transformation that they need? What would they look for?
The answer, my friend, is you. How do you position yourself as their most desirable, convenient and joyful solution?
Really dive deep into this exercise, and continue to ask yourself those questions again and again.