Who is Your Ideal Client?

Everyone in business wants more customers. But not all customers are created equal. Some are better for you than others. And if you’re going after more clients, it behooves you to focus your time, money, and energy on those clients who will provide you with the biggest return on your efforts.

Which means in your marketing and prospecting efforts, you want to target not just any potential buyers, but your ideal buyers. Who are those exactly? Well, it depends.

“Ideal” is a subjective word. It can mean different things to different people. It could refer to those clients who:

• Buy the greatest volume
• Are the most profitable
• Buy most frequently
• Are the easiest to close
• Have been with you the longest
• Give you the most referrals
• Are the easiest to deal with
• Provide you with the most interesting and challenging work, or
• Are the most fun to work with

Which of those do you most want more of? Those are the prospects you want to pursue. (And yes, you can pick two or even three of these of these categories to go after.)

How do you find them? Start by examining your client list and identify the customers who fit the description you’ve chosen. Then, determine what they have in common, being as thorough and as detailed as possible. That will give you an Ideal Client Profile.

Use this profile whenever you create marketing pieces, develop prospecting plans, or decide what events to attend. Your Ideal Client Profile is also helpful when coming up with new products or services to offer.

This is not to say that these will be the only customers you serve. Heck, if somebody who doesn’t fit one of these categories calls you up and asks to buy something, you’re not gonna say no. But in your prospecting and marketing, these are the clients you’re going to target. Since you have a limited supply of time, money and energy, spending them going after your ideal customers will result in more sales, profits, cash flow, and satisfaction.