Do you have a passion for one industry over another?
Answer those questions and you will be on your way to narrowing your ideal client down.
3 Tips For Finding Your Ideal Client
Once you’ve decided who they are, here is how to reach them.
Tell your business story. What makes you unique? What unique insight do you bring to what you do? Use your story to connect with potential clients and as a way to tell what you do without being overly salesy
What do you have that the competition doesn’t? What are your unique goods or services? What is your unique selling proposition aka USP? Know this and you can determine your ideal client — it’s the person for whom you can address a pain point with your goods or services
Delve into your current client base and notice any similarities. Notice whether you have clients that just don’t fit and ask yourself why you’re sticking with them? There could be definite reasons you are, but only you know. What are common characteristics your clients — share? This could put you on the path of understanding who your ideal client is
After you’ve uncovered your ideal client, you can focus your marketing and your efforts on that niche. You may find that once you have a niche you will begin thriving. For example, I have focused my business expertise on swimming pool construction and swimming pool service clients. Why? Because that is my area of expertise. What’s yours?
Do your customers “know, like and trust you”? If not, why not? If you aren’t sure, you need to read these tips on 15 ways to connect with your customers. If your ideal client doesn’t know you value him or her, they will look for a new person with whom to work who does value them and who “gets” them.
Every business owner I work with has clients they adore and they have clients whose emails they avoid and they wince when they see a missed call from that person. How well do you know your customer? Wouldn’t you like to work with people who bring you joy? Then you need to ensure you’re bringing joy to them in all your interactions.
15 Ways To Connect With Your Customers
Who is your ideal customer?
They value you above and beyond the fee they pay
They are long-term clients.
They are your biggest advocates.
They continually buy what you have to offer.
They know what they want and you get right to the point with them.
They pay their bills on time.
How do spot that less-than-ideal-client before you sign them?
Even in initial conversations, they are never satisfied.
They continually ask for more but want to pay for less
You are continually in money-chase mode with them
They don’t value what you do and how to do it
They bad mouth the people they worked with before you — this is a red flag because you know they will bad mouth you.
What steps should you take to jettison these clients? Be aware though that these tactics will work against you when they bad mouth you to their new service provider.
Raise your prices
Be unavailable for their phone calls or meetings
Offer them an introduction to a business partner who may be a better fit
Be direct. “I just don’t think we are a good fit.”
Have you ever had to break up with a client? Did you stay with a client much longer than you should have just because you needed the money? We get it. It’s not easy but you do need to weigh what they’re paying you with the energy they are draining from you.
There is no denying it. Customer service is horrible. The pandemic certainly had something to do with and we honestly think that friendliness has gone by the wayside. No longer is the “customer always right.” In fact, the customer is rarely listened to or treated with any kind of respect. Truly if your business is struggling and your employees are not bending over backward to help those customers who are loyal and come back to you, you’re better off without them — the employee, not the customer.
When is the last time you walked out of a store and thought, “wow that was a great experience”? I don’t know the last time I had that. In fact, if I have to get so excited that I finally had a great experience, that shows the decline of our society and the way in which we treat people.
Customers aside — this is an example of how poorly we treat humans. Bottom line.
Customers are the lifeblood of your business and didn’t you truly see that as being true when the pandemic shut down so many businesses? Yes, I understand that it’s hard to find employees and that it’s hard to keep them and the employees you do find don’t want to be there so what can you do?
Do Your Customers Feel Appreciated?
As the business owner, it’s up to you to step up and make your customers feel appreciated because without them you won’t have a business. How can you show appreciation and put a smile on their faces? We have some tips.
Provide introductory offers. Businesses that offer introductory pricing or a first-time-purchase coupon are more likely to earn your loyalty. What can you offer a new customer?
Are there loss leader products or services you could offer at a discount or for free to reward the loyalty of a long-term or repeat customer?
Do you have free samples you could provide? If you’re a bakery, that’s easy. If you’re a service provider, offer a free pool cleaning or dog nail clipping, as a couple of examples.
Build a community and work with beta testers for your goods or services. VIP communities are easy to build and can garner great word-of-mouth referrals.
Stay in touch. If someone buys your product or hires you, stay in touch. Let them know what the onboarding process is and what the next steps are. Don’t leave them in the dark.
Say THANK YOU! Two simple words that carry a lot of weight. What do you to do show your customers that you appreciate them?
What can you do to appreciate your customers? Also, what can you do to reward and thank employees who give good customer service?
Remember networking events? You’d meet other entrepreneurs or like-minded business owners and you’d have coffee or a lunch meeting or even a drink in a bar or a workshop session? We all know that COVID-19 put so many networking events on the back burner or canceled them entirely, and who knows if they will return, but we have tips on how to network like a pro.
If you get to meet in person, these will help and if you’re continuing to meet on Zoom, these tips help you connect and potentially grow your business. But remember, you’re making connections, not going in thinking you’re going to make a sale. That may make you sound desperate.
There are effective ways to network and ways your networking efforts crash and burn. I have seen both and I cringe when I see the person at a networking event who is just trying too hard and isn’t interested in building a relationship first.
You’ve honed your elevator speech, shaken hands and exchanged business cards… now what? Do you talk politics, weather, how much they liked the coffee, what about that coronavirus, huh… or do you say, “hey want to buy my stuff?” You’re better talking politics and religion than saying that — believe me.
How To Network Like A Pro
Why are you attending? Most people attend to find new clients or a new job. A few attend networking events just to get out of the office. Know why you’re going, then make a plan.
If you’re having a one-on-one is this person prepared to buy? Is this your first meeting? Are you just feeling one another out to see if you’re a good fit? No matter the reason, have a few ice breaker conversation starters. You can also — and you should — pay attention to them and and take a genuine interest in what they say.
Listen as much as you talk — maybe more. Conversations are give and take. Don’t monopolize the entire conversation and have the connection go home thinking, “wow I never got to say a word.”
Have a follow up plan, then follow through.
What are your best tips for making the most of networking events?
Remember that children’s song, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”? That song has it wrong — words can wound. The wound from words could scar for a lifetime. It’s important to weigh your words whether you’re talking with a friend, family member or child and it’s important to think before you speak with a client.
You also want to think before you speak about one person to another person. It will ultimately be you that the harm comes back to, so just don’t do it.
Words carry weight. They can uplift or they can lead to upset. Think about the next time you say, “I had an awfully good day.” Sure, it sounds great, but why say “awfully?” Why didn’t you just have a good day? How about saying to a client, “I am anxious to get started working with you.” You may mean you’re really looking forward to starting BUT a client who doesn’t know you may think you’re desperate or nervous and they may not want to place their trust in you. Say, “I am looking forward to, or eager to, or excited to… work with you.”
Weigh Your Words
The words you speak to yourself can color your day and your interactions. Start your day with the mindset that, “this is going to be a great day!” Don’t think, “I have a few meetings today I hope they go well or I hope I won’t be too tired by the time the day is over.” In one instance you’re setting yourself up for a great day, in the other you are plodding toward your day like you’re walking into a firing squad.
What message do you want to tell yourself? Your clients?
How can you reframe your words? When you reframe your words, you reframe your thoughts and your day takes a turn toward the better!
I’ve been told that I uplift and encourage people. I love hearing that and I love doing that. What words do people say about you? What words do you want them to say?
It’s not a badge of honor to work sixty hours a week or more. Honestly, the beauty of being a business owner is that you should have more control over your time than you did when you were working 9-5 and commuting to and from the office. When I talk with entrepreneurs I tell them, “biz owners need to tame their time.” If a budding biz owner drives him or herself to the ground, the business won’t survive and perhaps the entrepreneur won’t either. That isn’t why you went into business for yourself is it? To work more hours, see your friends and family less and be so stressed that they don’t enjoy the ride, is it?
You need to take control of your time because if you don’t it will continue to control you. That also means you need to control client and customer expectations. If they think you are available 24/7 because you’re always answering email and phone calls and texts they will expect that. If, however you tell them, you answer the phone from X to X on this day and that and that you take holidays off, they will understand and appreciate it. Believe me, it’s easier to set expectations up front than it is to try and “take away” what they’ve grown accustomed to.
Biz Owners Need To Tame Their Time
Here are a few quick tips to help you get control of your time and enjoy being a business owner.
You can delegate tasks even if you don’t have staff. Are you good at blogging? No? Hire a copywriter. Do you love to crunch numbers and do spreadsheets and balance the budget? No? Hire an accountant. Could you defend yourself in court? No? Hire a lawyer. There are tasks that a business owner, no matter the budget, should consider the cost of doing business and plan for that. Marketing and web development is one of those tasks that an entrepreneur feels they don’t have to worry about and then wonder, “why don’t I have any clients” when they don’t have a website, social media presence or a blog.
Draw the line between business and personal. As mentioned, don’t work 24/7. Keep a calendar and make appointments with yourself –whether it’s going out for lunch with a colleague, taking a walk, going to the gym, etc. Also the line needs to separate your home life from your work life and this is especially true if you work from home. Close the office, or close the laptop at the end of the day. Make it a symbolic, end of the day ritual.
Just say no. I know that when you’re starting out it is hard to say no to a potential client or job but you need to. You need to be very clear on what you will do as well as what you won’t do. Don’t dilute your efforts because if an ideal client comes along and you’re so busy with tasks outside of your zone of genius, you will be frustrated and angry.
