4 ways and 13 questions to work with only the best clients

A persona is your ideal client.

You can imagine them and they can be a real person. They’re the people you want to serve, you want to help because you know how it feels like to be in their shoes. And that’s how you’ll create that persona.

They’re more 7 billion people on Earth. Start with people that deserve you, start with people that get you.

You can explain who your persona is in 4 ways:

#1 Freestyle

Words just come out and you put them on paper. Don’t spend too much?time. For that, I use the pomodoro technique:

1.?Write as much as possible without judging?or editing during 25 min

2.?Take a 5 min break

3.?Edit and write some more for 25 min

4.?Take a 5 min?break

5.?Write as much as possible

6.?Take a 5 min break

7.?Edit and write some for 25 min

So 2h in total. When I did it, I ended up with a letter from my ICA (named Corale) to me.

#2 Write an email to your best friend

I use this method almost every time I write. Plus, you have a nice thought for your friends. They give you that strength you need.

Write like you write to your best friend. That person you know they won’t judge you.

You can write an email in your real email app. Open the app, create a new email, add your BFF email address, write them the email?and send it.

#3 Interview current and/or potential clients

You can, no, you must interview your clients. Ask them below questions. You can change them to be comfortable. As you talk, note their words. Their actual words. You can also ask them about your product, your competitors or their budget.

#4 Amazon reviews

1.?Go to amazon.com

2.?Type your product and/industry on the search bar?(try different keywords)

3.?Select “books”?as a category

4.?Hit enter

5.?Rank by “featured”?if not already

6.?Select 3 books that are on your topic and have a lot of reviews

7.?Select reviews with 3 stars

8.?Read them?and note their remarks and words they use

We’re selecting 3 stars reviewing because they’re nuanced. Out there, they’re people who liked the book,?and what it was about?(your product/industry!), but were disappointed by a few things. We want to know what those few important things are and?in their own words.

#5 Quora

1.?Go to quora.com

2.?Type your keywords in the search bar and hit enter

3.?Look at questions and answers, more at questions than answers

Those questions are those your audience might ask themselves, again, in their own words.

Now we have many notes about your persona, questions they’re asking themselves and the words they use.

Your persona is made up of demographic?(age, gender, job, etc.) and psychological?(fear, envy, frustrations, etc.)?characteristics. Try to list as many details as possible. And remember, it’s not set in stone.

You should work on your persona regularly. So you’ll work on it again?and it’ll change. You don’t have to do everything?right now. Do what makes sense. Do it,?even partially,?and improve it over time.

You can have one persona for your business, one per product and one per communication channel?(website, newsletter, LinkedIn, others.) Start simply with one for your business.

Main characteristics

1.?Full name

2.?Age

3.?Gender

4.?Martial status

5.?Children

6.?Location

7.?Job(s)

8.?School(s)

9.?Hobbies

10.?Blogs

11.?Magazines

12.?Books

13.?Shows (TV and/or YouTube)

14.?Movies

15.?Events

16.?Mentors

17.?Who are they following on?which?social media?

18.?Searches on Google

19.?Best vacation ever

Questions to answer (yourself or to ask during an interview)

1.?What do they value?

2.?What do they enjoy?

3.?Why do they get sometimes sad?

4.?When do they get angry?

5.?What do they fear now?

6.?What can’t they stand?

7.?Who do they envy? Why?

8.?What brings them peace of mind?

9.?What’s the worst that could happen if they don’t get what you can offer them?

10.?What’s the best that could happen when they get what you can offer them?

11.?If they had a magic wand, what would they do?

12.?And what do their surroundings (family, friends, colleagues) thing about those?

13.?Is there anything else?

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This article is part of a series about digital marketing for remote freelancers.

In total, they are 7 articles, 7 steps. Each step is one digital marketing tactic. They have an order. The earlier, the more basic and necessary. They build on each other. You need the earlier steps before starting the later ones.

You can read the other articles here:

Step 2 Your Ideal Client Journey -- They learn about you. They buy from you. And they buy again.

Step 3 Comment on Social Media -- You can get your next client on social media, you're 5 steps away from it

Step 4 Document on Social Media -- Too busy to post on social media? I got something for you.

Step 5 Contact Influencers -- I'm not a big brand, how do I start influencer marketing?

Step 6 Build your Website -- But isn't building your website too much for a freelancer?

Step 7 Send your Newsletters -- Don't depend on social media algorithms, send an email

Those articles are part of a project called 'The Freelancer Jungle'.

You can check the Steps on its website.

You can subscribe to the Jungle Letters and receive all the Steps right in your inbox.

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