Creating a Profile of Your Ideal Clients

You know your coaching services are great. You’re networking, and you’re attracting plenty of prospects. But no matter how many people you talk to, they’re not consistently buying your product. You’re ready to land sales, and you can’t figure out what’s going wrong.

Stop right there! If it feels like you’re running like a hamster on a wheel beside lines of prospects, you’re not using your time effectively. And nothing lessens your chances for success than that. An effective marketing campaign is focused and specific, tailored to the clients that understand your value and are excited to work with you. These clients are willing to pay what you are worth because they know you have just what they need.

So my question for you is this: Do you know who your ideal client is? Have you created an ideal client profile? No!? I’m here to help you get started. Essentially, your ideal client profile is a snapshot of the client you should be marketing to based on your own real data and research. Identifying your ideal client helps you gain knowledge about who you should be marketing to, so that you become not just a choice, but the only choice. By understanding how your coaching services benefit your clients, your services will grow in effectiveness as well. And this not only benefits your sales and profitability, but your clients’ success as well. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Step 1: The demographics, the psychographics, and the behaviors of your clients

Have you taken the time to study what type of clients you’re attracting? Do you know the people you’re making consistent sales with? Take your top 10 clients and figure out the common denominators between them. Look at what drives them and why they purchase your product. Compare the demographics: age, gender, income, etc. Learn about their psychographics: personality types, likes and dislikes, lifestyle, goals, etc. Examine their behaviors. Here are some sample questions to ask yourself:

What are the similarities between the clients that you’re seeing the most growth and success with?
Are you targeting people that are ready to make a change (aka buy your product)?
What is your clients’ top pain point?

Step 2: Ask current clients questions

You have vital information for your ideal client profile right in front of you—the consistent ones you have! Ask your clients personally about their aspirations, struggles, services, and experiences. Send out surveys. Conduct personal interviews. This will show that you care about working with them, and you want to improve your product, while helping you learn about who specifically needs your help.

Step 3: Compile the data

Once you’ve done your research, take the time to really take a look at the data. Sort through what you’ve found, and compile the information into a written outline of what your ideal client looks like, including things such as:

Specific demographics
Psychographics
Personality
Goals
Wants/Needs
Pain Points
Purchasing Process

It may feel like you are limiting your client database by doing this, but think of it as throwing the dart right at the bulls-eye. You won’t be wasting your time anymore running on that hamster wheel with your broad marketing technique. Your message will be personalized to the clients that you want to work with and who want to work with you, and the prospects that you find will be choosing you every time.

Remember that this isn’t a one-time deal. Taking a look at your current clients and creating an ideal client profile is something you should be doing at least once a year to find the right clients for your coaching services! You’ll save so much time, and you’ll thank yourself (and me) later.