On the surface of it, this seems like an obvious question to ask when you’re planning a marketing campaign. After all, why shell out a load of cash in order to attract clients who are difficult to deal with; who only want to use those niche services that don’t form the main part of your business and that you don’t really like doing, or who end up taking up a lot of your time for very little reward? Worse still, what if you cast your marketing net so far and wide in an attempt to catch “anyone” that you end up appealing to “no-one”?

However, as we all know, it’s the obvious questions that can often be overlooked as we jump into the detail of a project before looking at the big picture – and the question “Who is your ideal customer?” has made a surprising number of our clients stop, think and then re-think their marketing strategy in our meetings.

Proactive = profitable

Marketing is your opportunity to take control of your business. A lot of the work that many of us end up doing is what we would call “reactive” work – someone comes to you, asks you for something and you provide it. You’re reacting to client demand – and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

However, marketing gives you the chance to pick and choose your target audience. So, by focusing on clients who you know will want your services; who you can build strong relationships with via repeat business; who should prove easy to work with, and who will, most importantly, be profitable, you will really make the most of your marketing budget.

Draw a picture
No, I don’t mean get your felt tips out – although, if you think that might help, feel free! But what you should do is build up a picture of your perfect client. What do they do? What are their interests? What problems do they face? What needs do they have? What media will reach them? Who do they like to do business with?

Avoid guessing. A little market research can go a long way – and you don’t have to conduct your own MORI poll. Read relevant media; see what other surveys are out there. Simplest of all, start closer to home and ask some of your best clients to complete a quick survey for you. As well as giving you ideas for targeting new business, it’ll reveal how to keep your current ideal customers happy, too.

By getting to know your ideal customer in this way, you can create marketing campaigns that will speak directly to them; messages that they can relate to. And from there it’s but a short step to convincing them to try your business.

Want help targeting your ideal customer? Contact All Words for a chat.