Targeting Your Ideal Client

How often are we shooting in the dark when it comes to marketing?  Are we really focusing our efforts on reaching exactly who we want or are we just taking anyone that comes knocking?

Last month, I attended a compelling presentation entitled “Targeting Your Ideal Client” by Dale Fallon of The Communication Gym®.

Dale said that targeting an ideal client can be done in 30 seconds or less by identifying three key points:

• The name of the product or service
• Four key descriptors
• A call-to-action

Seems simple enough, right? Yet many of us struggle to articulate exactly whom we’re trying to target. The key descriptors are fundamental. Dale offered the following examples of solid B2B Sales Descriptors:

• Geography (i.e. specific location for your Ideal Client)
• Industry/Market (i.e. manufacturing, professional services, restaurant…)
• Size (i.e. number of employees, annual revenue, etc.)
• Circumstance (i.e. new product launch, new hire, opening a new location…)
• Culture or Values (i.e. risk takers, conservative, cutting edge)

Here is Dale’s ideal client description:

[Our ideal client is] a technical service business with five or more employees who serve customers directly. Their home office is within a 15-mile radius of Camp Hill and they are looking to improve the quality of their relationships with both internal and external customers. They have a technically competent staff that requires additional communication skills to build these relationships. This is a company that can benefit immediately and directly from our services and I would love to show them how we can help their business succeed.

Once you’ve identified your ideal client, you’ll be able to clearly describe this client when you network and seek referrals. You can also start to target and market to your ideal client online. Here are my steps for doing so:

• Find out where they are
• Listen and learn
• Connect
• Offer value
• Make an offer

Seems simple enough, right? However, many of us struggle to find where our ideal client resides online!  I highly recommend joining LinkedIn groups that include your target audience, then regularly participating in the discussions.  The advanced search tool on LinkedIn is a gold mine for finding your ideal client and connecting with him or her on a personal level.  Here are instructions for using the advanced search tool.

For more information about The Communication Gym® or to get involved in their master mind groups, check out their events page. You can also contact Michael Fister or Dale Fallon.

Want more ideal client descriptions? Read below for ideal client descriptions by Beverly Reider of Medical Revenue Solutions and Janet Bartelme of LegalShield.

What’s your ideal client description? How are you marketing to them?

Beverly Reider:

Our Ideal Client is an Independent Medical Practice with multiple Providers.  Location of the Medical Practice is not an issue as our software is web-based.  The Practice can be new and in the need of a PM/EMR solution; or an existing Practice that is at a loss for why their current solution isn't performing as expected or it's simply outdated.  We provide a fully-integrated customized PM/EMR solution that is competitively priced and will exceed the Practices' PM/EMR requirements.  There are brochures in the back for additional details.  Or, contact me directly for further details...Beverly Reider - Medical Revenue Solutions.

Janet Bartleme:

My name is Janet Bartelme with LegalShield, formerly known as Pre-Paid Leal Services. Everyone deserves legal protection.   Now, with LegalShield, everyone can have access to legal protection – no matter how trivial, no matter how traumatic. Whatever situations you are facing, we are here to help. From real estate to divorce advice, identity theft and beyond, we have your rights covered. If you want to live your life with less stress and more peace of mind, contact me at 877-329-0589 or www.janetagency.com