A is for Ambition
B is for Business Plan
C is for Customer Connection
D is for Distractions
E is for Enterprise Evaluation
F is for Fatigue
G is for Gratitude
H is for Harmony
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I is for Introspection of the Ideal Client
Having a good idea is not the same as having a successful business. You may have done a lot to develop your idea, design and produce your products and services, but that does not guarantee financial success. You can't sell to the world. You must know that what you are creating in your business is a solution to a problem. A problem that is faced by a specific set of people. Now you need to identify those people in order to sell to them effectively. Introspection is a great way to reach your Ideal Client.
Your business is not meant for everyone. There are specific people whom you wish to target as clients. Now think about the reason you thought up about this business. At that time you had a certain person in mind. This is the person who would love to buy what you offer in your products and services. What are the features of this person? Think of the demographics, is it a man or a woman? Are they young teenagers or young professionals in their twenties? Is it stay at home mothers in the thirties or mid life crisis fathers in their forties? Are they living in the big cities or the smaller towns?
Your business may be targeting more than one demographic. However there will be a thread of commonality that ties all of these potential customers together. To figure that out ask yourself a few questions when you introspect about your idea client. Here's a list to get your started. Feel free to add more questions that apply to your business in specific.
What You Will Need: Time to Develop the Blueprint for your Ideal Customer, Developing the Right Relationship with them
Using the questions that have been set down above, try and create the blueprint for the ideal client. Get inside the head of the person who will be happy to buy from you. What would they like or dislike? How are they likely to shop from you? Will they prefer online shopping or would they rather hold the product in their hands first before buying it? For instance, if your product is handmade and environmentally friendly, think of the people who would appreciate these features. It would be someone who values saving the environment, may be into protecting animals, could be interested in tree plantation drives, and so on.
Now think of the events where you may bump into these people in real life and speak with them about your products of services. You can book a stall at such an event and connect with potential clients by distributing free samples and your business cards. You may not be able to attend meetings and exhibitions on a regular basis, but getting out in the market will help your business. The second way to stay in touch with potential clients is to get the social media and online presence of your business going.
In order for you to connect with your ideal customer, you need to send out a consistent message to them. Your social media posts should have a commonality of theme running through them which links it back to the backbone of your business. Your customers should be able to identify what you sell easily. They should value what they buy from you enough to share it with their friends through word of mouth. Each time they shop from you, they should have a similar and satisfying experience. The customer service that you extend to them will also go a long way in harnessing their customer loyalty, not to mention their praise to friends.
Keep a track of any mistakes or mishaps that have occurred with a customer. Ensure that they do not happen again. There can be miscommunication regarding offers, so ensure that your marketing material is clearly defined. Your knowledge of the profile of the Ideal Client should also be able to help you judge what their budget is likely to be. So when you design your products keep that in mind as well. Even if a product solves a problem, the ideal client may not want to purchase it, should it prove to be too expensive for their tastes.
Your business is not meant for everyone. There are specific people whom you wish to target as clients. Now think about the reason you thought up about this business. At that time you had a certain person in mind. This is the person who would love to buy what you offer in your products and services. What are the features of this person? Think of the demographics, is it a man or a woman? Are they young teenagers or young professionals in their twenties? Is it stay at home mothers in the thirties or mid life crisis fathers in their forties? Are they living in the big cities or the smaller towns?
Your business may be targeting more than one demographic. However there will be a thread of commonality that ties all of these potential customers together. To figure that out ask yourself a few questions when you introspect about your idea client. Here's a list to get your started. Feel free to add more questions that apply to your business in specific.
- What are values of your ideal customer?
- What are they passionate about?
- Where do they work?
- What do they do for fun?
- What are they interested in learning?
- Why would they be interested in your business?
- What qualities are they looking for in your products and services?
The Exercise
Using the questions that have been set down above, try and create the blueprint for the ideal client. Get inside the head of the person who will be happy to buy from you. What would they like or dislike? How are they likely to shop from you? Will they prefer online shopping or would they rather hold the product in their hands first before buying it? For instance, if your product is handmade and environmentally friendly, think of the people who would appreciate these features. It would be someone who values saving the environment, may be into protecting animals, could be interested in tree plantation drives, and so on.
Now think of the events where you may bump into these people in real life and speak with them about your products of services. You can book a stall at such an event and connect with potential clients by distributing free samples and your business cards. You may not be able to attend meetings and exhibitions on a regular basis, but getting out in the market will help your business. The second way to stay in touch with potential clients is to get the social media and online presence of your business going.
In order for you to connect with your ideal customer, you need to send out a consistent message to them. Your social media posts should have a commonality of theme running through them which links it back to the backbone of your business. Your customers should be able to identify what you sell easily. They should value what they buy from you enough to share it with their friends through word of mouth. Each time they shop from you, they should have a similar and satisfying experience. The customer service that you extend to them will also go a long way in harnessing their customer loyalty, not to mention their praise to friends.
Keep a track of any mistakes or mishaps that have occurred with a customer. Ensure that they do not happen again. There can be miscommunication regarding offers, so ensure that your marketing material is clearly defined. Your knowledge of the profile of the Ideal Client should also be able to help you judge what their budget is likely to be. So when you design your products keep that in mind as well. Even if a product solves a problem, the ideal client may not want to purchase it, should it prove to be too expensive for their tastes.
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