Who’s your market?
A solid definition of your ideal client is essential to online business success. But creating that definition is no slide. Nonetheless, lately I’ve been on the brink of progress in that department.
Identifying your niche market, recognizing the sort of person who most relates to you and your business can be tricky. You might think your market is busy moms or people with dogs or investment bankers. But to be actually useful in marketing, your definition has to be far more specific.
And not just predictably specific. It’s not busy moms who live in Peoria and are under the age of 30. That stuff’s important, but not the key. The key is that your busy moms need a shoulder to cry on, or they need affordable diapers, or they need care for their aging parents.
Who they are is of interest, but what they need is bankable.
For me, the ideal client picture has been fuzzy. When I started in this biz, I thought it was okay to focus on ‘small businesses.’ So it’s been a long road from there. You get closer, over time, to a good working definition.
But it’s what you learn about yourself that’s mind blowing.
Mary,
Great post! Thank you.
Defining the 'ideal client' is a journey that I never knew I would still be traveling 4.5 years after opening the virtual doors!
It's not a bad thing, though…
Although I am running with my current definition of my 'ideal client', this view has changed several times over. When I learn new programs, read new books, work on new projects…I'm tugged into new ideal-client-spaces. So I *get* what you are saying.
I too did the 'small businesses' definition and some days, when I am explaining the 'what-does-a-virtual-assistant-do?', using the descriptive; 'small businesses' offers a clearer picture to outsiders who my target/ideal may be more so than using the titles 'coach', or 'life coach' or 'woman's coach'. 'Small business' is a good heading title pull out in a pinch to assist in the understanding that I typically do not work with larger or mid-sized businesses.
But it is too broad and not really the truth. I don't work with all small business.
What throws my 'ideal' off-kilt is…for as long I gear my marketing toward my idea client in areas on the web in which they congregate, these are not always the folks who contact ME!
It is still my decision whether to take the 'non-ideal' on as a client. I have done so cautiously and it has turned out quite well… thankfully. But this is tender territory.
And then there is always the topic…what do you do when your ideal client is no longer that ideal client anymore? This has occurred with clients who are long-term…for another blog…
The good news is that ideal or non-ideal…it IS a pleasure to be considered 'the ideal VA'.
Janine
Appreciate the thoughtful comment, Janine. Great point about how mentioning 'small businesses' does clarify in many situations.
Funny thing about niche markets … you may indeed work with a whole lot of peeps who don't fit the profile, but knowing the profile still helps immeasurably. Not sure why that's true.
Yes, Mary indeed…knowing the ideal profile does really help.
It helps me to think in terms of the adjectives that make up an ideal even though the client might not totally fit into that mold. It keeps the thought process 'in line' and in-tune and offers clarity in the moment. The final selection might not be the ideal outcome but the hope is (IMO) that at least some of those ideal traits are apparent when selecting a client.
“…it IS a pleasure to be considered 'the ideal VA'. ” Which you are indeed, Janine!