A guest blog by Pamela Rae-Welsh, Manchester Brand Designer & Online Visibility Specialist
As a business owner the one thing we are always looking for is people to buy our stuff right? Whether it is a product or a service we offer, selling to people is what we want and need to do! When you have spent months and years getting your offer right it can feel so frustrating when you are not making sales easily, when you are faced with customers bartering, haggling or changing their mind constantly, or when the sales simply don’t come. You know the offer is right, so why won’t the ideal customers automatically come?
Attracting your ideal client is a process, not an art
Trust me when I say that I have been in the same boat when it comes to trying to attract the ideal clients to my business. As a branding designer and online visibility specialist I have spent years helping entrepreneurs with defining, crafting and executing their brand strategies so that they can attract their ideal clients, and there are 5 key considerations that are consistently required for client attraction, which I’ve put into a simple process for you.
1 – Properly understand your ideal client.
I don’t mean make a list of their characteristics, but actually go deep on understanding them. What are their likes and dislikes, where do they hang out, what do they eat and how do they socialise? Corporate businesses will spend thousands on profiling their ideal clients so that they can then carefully target their marketing strategy. You need to understand as many details about your ideal client as possible so that you can communicate via your brand to them effectively.
2 – Brand your business for your ideal client.
It really doesn’t matter if you like the colour green and have a tendency for rock music, you shouldn’t brand your business for yourself (unless you are your ideal client). Your brand represents so much more than your logo and colour palette. It is the visual and vocal representation of your business and it needs to appeal to your ideal client so that they trust you with their purchase.
3 – Hang out where your ideal client hangs out.
If you are a luxury clothing retailer, promoting your products on local selling sites will not attract your ideal client (read more about this and how my baby clothing business failed in this previous post). If you are a high end coach looking to attract c-suite directors then networking at small business events will not attract your ideal client. You need to immerse yourself in their world, be present and visible to build relationships and create that trust factor, which leads nicely to…
4 – Trust.
Your ideal client will be attracted to businesses which have been endorsed by other like minded people. You can demonstrate that you are the trusted choice for them through reviews, awards and testimonials. Do not be shy in either seeking reviews or in displaying them. This is an official, peer led endorsement of your products and services, and 67% of consumers have stated that they will take into consideration a review or testimonial before committing to a purchase. Get those reviews and testimonials working for you and you will attract more of your ideal client.
5 – Be consistently visible.
If you are promoting your business on social media, you need to show up every day and be consistent. Sporadically posting updates and not having a content marketing strategy will not support you with attracting your ideal clients. They will need to see you and feel your energy to be able to trust and purchase from you. Likewise if your ideal client is not on social media then you need to be where they are consistently. Networking meetings, forums and conferences are ideal places to be seen and for you to have great conversations about how you can add value.
Attracting your ideal client is not about selling to them
The biggest piece of advice that I can give t anyone who is looking to attract their ideal client is not to sell to them. The biggest and most successful brands do not sell their products and services to people – they sell the solution to the problem or the desire they satisfy. The White Company sell the solution to making home entertaining actually entertaining, and they do this through luxury lifestyle content marketing which shows how beautiful the home can be. Centre Parcs do not sell UK self catering holidays; they sell family time, relaxation and adventure to solve the pain points for time poor families who are looking to reconnect.
Focusing on adding value, looking to solve a pain point or satisfy a particular desire will help you to attract your ideal client and to be successful in selling to them. By using the process of getting to know them, branding for them, hanging out where they do, demonstrating trust and being consistently visible, you can attract your ideal client.
Who are your ideal clients and where do they hang out?
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Pamela Rae-Welsh is a leading branding designer and online visibility specialist based in Manchester. Passionate about supporting entrepreneurs with their journey to success, Pamela helps to provide a big business toolkit through branding, web design and digital marketing strategies that allow business owners to operate at the top of their field.
