The Why and How of Defining Your Ideal Client

In my last newsletter, I shared my definition of marketing:

“Putting client understanding at the heart of every decision you make.”

And how my approach to this is through Value Whispering: the art of gently weaving your true value through everything you do.

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This week I wanted to focus on the first step in this approach: knowing who your dream clients are. A process also known as niching.

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But is niching worth the effort?

I’m amazed at just how many people don’t believe in niching.

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I kind of get it. Most of us are in business to help people. So why would you want to limit the number of people you help?

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And many services, like coaching for example, really could benefit everyone.

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BUT…

Would you truly love to work with everyone?

Could you serve everyone in a meaningful way?

Do you have the time, energy and resources to be all things to all people?

Is everyone ready and able to work with you (and pay well)?

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It’s unlikely. In my experience, it’s far easier and more impactful to niche. Especially if you are an introvert like me, who needs to protect their energy.

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The big upside to being clear about your dream client is that you can then create everything with them in mind. This means you can have a bigger impact. And become known for the amazing results you get for your clients.

Seth Godin talks about we prefer to make choices that ‘people like us’ have already made. Focusing on a clear niche, therefore, gives you stronger testimonials and social proof that speaks to the value you provide for people like your dream clients. Helping you to attract more clients. And building your self-belief in the process.

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On the podcast this week, Sylvain (Sly) Haché put it this way: Knowing your client allows you to give their pain a deep-tissue massage, rather than just a light Swedish massage. You don’t want them to think, oh, that was nice. But to have them think: Wow, I feel transformed!

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When you have a specific person in mind when you create your content and offers, knowing what to do comes easier, and you can start to have a real tangible impact.

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So is niching worth the effort? In my book, yes! Especially if you want to have an impact that your clients love and you feel proud of.

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So, where do you begin?

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Defining your Dream Client

Here are five questions to help you narrow your focus:

• Who do you love working with and supporting?
• Who values your expertise and the experience you create?
• Who gets the best results from working with you?
• Who can afford to pay you?
• Who can you realistically reach?

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It’s worth noting that niching goes beyond demographics. Saying you help 40+ women find their purpose is a good start. But who is looking for that kind of support? What difference will it make in their lives? How do they feel today that makes them think they need this service?

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Start to understand your dream clients in this depth, and how your knowledge, experiences and expertise can add value for them will become clear.

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Then you can start weaving this value through your content, your conversations, your offers, and your processes.

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When you start to do this, you start to see a real difference in your business.

... The results you get for your clients are more significant.

... The joy and energy you get from your work increases.

... The people and opportunities you attract become more exciting.

... And you start to feel more confident in your ability to make a difference.

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You’ll move from feeling invisible, overwhelmed and ‘stuck with an expensive hobby’ (as several of my clients described their situation when we started working together). To being irresistible and impactful.

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I’ve seen this in my own businesses and in those of my clients.

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The big upside

?When you have a clear understanding of your ideal clients, you can customise your marketing efforts specifically for them.

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You can answer their questions, alleviate their concerns and help them understand the steps to resolve their problems. Doing this in an intentional way, provides them with a logical series of steps that draws them naturally towards to your business.

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You become their champion and guide, even before you start working together.

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When you create content, products, and services that directly address their needs and desires, it saves you the time and frustration of sharing content or launching offers that get ignored. And it increases the likelihood that they will choose you over your competitors.

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In other words, when you know and understand your dream clients, you can position yourself as their obvious choice of service-provider. You establish your expertise in your industry and build strong, lasting relationships with those who are most likely to benefit from what you offer.

You start to attract more of your perfect-fit clients, with greater ease and integrity. And they feel heard, valued and understood. So your marketing feels good to you and good to your potential clients.

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In this masterclass, I share more about exactly how this works and help you get started. (Skip forward to 08:42 to play a quick game that illustrates the power of being a specialist over a generalist.)

The most important work you’ll do in your business

Getting your niche right is some of the most important work you’ll do in your business. Everything else you do depends on who exactly you want to attract.

... The content you create.

... The products and services you offer.

... Your pricing and processes.

... The branding you choose.

... The people you employ.

Everything.

Your niche will evolve over time. But with a clear dream client in mind, you can then weave the right value into the right places to create a stand-out experience and become known for the exceptional results you get for your clients. You'll naturally differentiate yourself from your competition. And attract more of the right people and opportunities.

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It can be tricky to do alone. So, if you would value some guidance or feedback, then I invite you to book a complementary business coaching session with me and I’d be happy to support you.

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Next Steps

The next step is to identify your true value. I’ll cover this step next week.

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Once you know your dream clients and how you are unique from everyone else – you can start to identify your business sweetspot.

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Build your marketing and offers from this space, and your business will really start to get interesting!

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Meantime, do you know your ideal client?

How do you use this information to guide your decisions and choices?

Let me know in the comments below.

And if you’ve found this article valuable, I would love it if you take a moment to like or share it so others might get value too.

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