Who is Your Ideal Client?

Now is a good time to think about  and plan your networking activity and marketing strategy for the coming year. A good starting point as you review what you have done in the past, is really knowing and revisiting who your ideal client is.

Having  conversations with other business professionals at a networking event or with a marketing professional, without fail will raise the question  is ‘who is your ideal client?’  as people want to know what your ideal client looks like so they can help you find them!

What’s an avatar?

Your ideal client, also known as an avatar, is an imaginary person who would most benefit from your offerings. It is a composite of demographic information (male/female, age, where they live, and so on) and psychographic information (what are they into? What do they value? What are their traits?) and the aim is to be as detailed as possible. It can even be beneficial to find a photo or cartoon so you have a very clear picture in mind.

Why is it important to have a client avatar?

A client avatar gives you a specific person to serve in your business. If you can understand what makes them tick, what their needs are and where their pain points lie you can tailor your offerings to meet those specific needs. In doing so, you will also speak to real people who are similar to your avatar and attract them to your business.

How do I pick a client avatar?

As I touched on above, to determine who your avatar is you need to think in great detail about them and their needs. Some things to consider include:

• What’s their name?
• What is their gender, age, and location?
• What is their family status?
• What do they do for a living?
• What do they like to do on the weekend?
• How do they like to spend their disposable income?
• Do they have pets?
• What are their pet peeves?
• Do they have a large friendship circle or a few very close friends?

Get as specific as you possibly can. It might feel a bit silly at first but the more detail you can pinpoint the more beneficial it will be.

How do I find my avatar?

Once you understand your ideal client, it’s time to find him or her in real life! The work you have done identifying your avatar will be very useful here - after all, now that you know all about them you’ll know where to look.

One effective way is to ask around in your network. If you’re familiar with BNI you might know that at each meeting members will tell the room who they are looking to connect with, based on their ideal client. For example, this might be “I’m looking to connect with a couple in their 30s who are looking to buy their first home in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.” This is just a subset of their avatar information but it’s enough for listeners to scan their network and see if there might be a fit.

You can also use your detailed avatar to help you find your ideal client online by searching for Facebook groups, forums, and websites that may attract them. If your ideal client is a male naturopath in his 40s who likes to surf, you can search LinkedIn or create a targeted advertising campaign on Facebook.

A third option for finding your ideal client is to go where your avatar would go. Meetup is a fantastic resource to find groups based on interest and location. If your avatar loves book clubs you can search for clubs to join in your area. If he’s sporty, you can look up local casual soccer clubs. Of course this will work best if you share the interest - you don’t want to be creepy about it. But where you can, put yourself in circles where your ideal client might be mixing.

Have you determined who your ideal client is? What’s the most out-of-the-box characteristic you’ve included? Let me know in the comments.

Check out YTM coming events.  There is  always a chance to engage and connect with those who may know your ideal client AND  the enjoyable YTM Conversation card session gives you the  opportunity to clarify your own  worth, boost your  confidence and uncover opportunities.