Start at the very beginning
If you are (or were) a fan of The Sound of Music, you might remember the lyrics: “Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.”
The same applies in your business.
Too many business owners make the mistake of developing their product or marketing strategy before doing the first critical step…
Define your ideal client, patient, or customer. You really need to understand, on a gut level, who this person really is or you will be watching your cash circle the drain.
Your ideal client is NOT necessarily your current client or your typical client.
Think about this — who do you want to do business with? Figure that out, then target everything you do towards that ‘person’.
Here are a few questions to get you started:
- What gender are they?
- What’s their age, or age range?
- Where do they live? Country, state, type of dwelling, etc.
- What language do they speak?
- How much income or net worth do they have?
- Married? Children? Pets? Car?
- Where do they hang out? Physical, virtual, print media, etc.
- What kind of music do they like?
- What hobbies do they have?
- Are they business owners or employees?
- What keeps them up at night? What challenges, issues, problems, etc?
You can, and should, add any other questions that will help you paint a picture of your ideal client.
By the time you are done creating and answer these questions, you should feel like you know EXACTLY what makes your ideal client/customer tick — why they get out of bed in the morning, what they do, what they are passionate or worried about, what helps them sleep at night and what keeps them awake.
Now kick it up a level — first, give your ideal client a name that fits (Jane, Harry, Isaac, Missy, etc). Next, find a photo of what your ideal client looks like and post it above where you do your copywriting. Write directly to that specific person, speaking with words and phrases they will relate to, and your response rate will be much higher.
When you have this nailed then, and only then, should you define or re-define your product or service.
If you act in reverse order, you are wasting money and time on something your ideal customer or prospect might not care about.
And if they don’t care, they don’t buy. Tough way for you to learn that lesson.
Now start at the very beginning and figure out what makes your ideal client tick. And make some money!