We’ve all been there! And maybe you’re there right now. Feeling like you’re struggling with your marketing, feeling like you’re just not connecting with the right people, or cutting through all the noise so people find you and buy from you. Maybe even knowing what to say and how to say it has got you pulling your hair out? For my business, there’s one transformative process I went through that has brought clarity, tons of ideas for content, and effective messaging that works. It sounds so simple, but is neglected by many.
You must know your client...deeply know her. The depth to which you know your ideal client is directly related to the success you will have in serving her and selling to her. Seth Godin, marketing guru, teaches that to build a successful business, we must find one ideal client and serve them insanely well and our business will grow. It sounds so simple, but how do we do it and then develop our marketing once we know her?
1. Start by getting to know your ideal client very, very well. This means continually talking to her. I don’t mean an impersonal survey or a sterile focus group. I’m talking about face-to-face, video call, or phone call where you can get to know a small set of your clients’ deepest fears, deepest desires, greatest challenges around the problem you solve, and even learn what’s their favorite cocktail or dessert. This may sound like a very uncomfortable, awkward thing to do but think about it this way.
How often do we feel authentically listened to or heard? Not often. Quite the opposite, we may feel like no one’s listening. And if I had a service provider that wanted to listen and build a service that would solve my problem in an insanely effective way, how loyal will I be to them? This is how companies like Apple and Amazon have built products and services that make us feel like they know us. Because they do! So, right now, make a list of 3-5 ideal clients or people you’d like to be your ideal clients that you want to speak to.
2. Ask for a 10-15 minute conversation by saying you’d like to ask her a few questions to learn more about her and how you and your business can better serve her in the future. Become a curious detective during this conversation. Ask questions about what’s working, not working, frustrations, cost of frustrations, what’s her dream solution to her problem, and what she wishes your industry knew about her. During the conversation, you want to listen to her words, phrases, and the way she talks about the problem.
3. Take very detailed notes - or even record the conversation, if she’s okay with it - so that you can go back and reflect on what she said and create 3 lists:
1.) Demographics/psychographics: Physical traits about her, makeup of her family, her core beliefs, who she follows, experts/sources she consults for information, where she hangs out.
2.) Emotions she mentions around the problem you can solve and how the solution makes her feel.
3.) Phrases she uses to describe her problem.
Once you’ve talked to 3-5 people and have your lists, compare notes, list out or circle all the similarities.
Final, most important step: Now, use all that you learned, even the exact words and phrases when writing, speaking, and in your marketing and sales materials. Let your clients and prospects know that you ‘hear’ them and know them and can help them. You can use what you learned as ideas for blog topics and social media posts. You can also use her challenges, frustrations, and desires to spark ideas for new products or services; or refine your current offering.
Lastly, I like to keep in touch regularly with a couple ideal clients that I can call at anytime and ask questions when I’m developing a new product or service. It’s so helpful to have their feedback and not surprisingly, they love to talk!
If you’d like to learn more about this process and go through it in more detail with me personally, I’m hosting a Fall Marketing Bootcamp beginning in September. We will go through this process in detail as well as build a fully-functioning, effective Marketing System around your Ideal Client. Learn more and be first to know when registration opens by visiting Fall Marketing Bootcamp.
Cheers,
Melissa
I love helping real estate, mortgage, and independent professionals just like you grow their businesses with great marketing, content, and communications. My services include one-on-one marketing coaching, content development, as well as social media and marketing courses for real estate and mortgage professionals. Learn more...
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