- Clarify your ideal client definition
- Redirect those who don’t fit your ideal client definition
- Spend your time dealing with those ideal clients you love and the ones who could be awesome customers once their fears and concerns have been dealt with.
So you think you have an ideal client definition in mind. That’s fine. Maybe it’s thorough enough to weed out the ones you don’t want right now. But for some, it might be vague and unclear as to whom you are willing to help solve their problems. Demographics and psychographics are at the root of a good ideal client definition.
One component of demographics is age and income level. You may be wondering why age or income level matters in your ideal client definition. Some products and services (e.g. rogain for hair loss and facial moisturizer for women of many ages) are geared towards a certain gender, or age range. For other products and services, you need to have a specific income level and education level in order to a) understand the material given in the explanations and b) have the money to cover the expenses of the services rendered.
Psychographics in lamen’s terms is how people think and what drives them to buy a certain product or service to get a problem solved for a given price. As an example, psychographics would be what makes you reach for chocolate when you see an m & m’s ad on TV, or the underlying motivating factors that makes someone do something. For example, when you go on Twitter and post about a show you’re watching on TV, what drives you to be positive or negative about the show on Twitter?
To broach the second point, to ‘redirect those who don’t fit your ideal client definition’, you can be eloquent and courteous in saying that “I’m sorry, but my services won’t solve the problem you seem to be having. Perhaps you could try xyz service. You can find them online at (some website or some phone number or email address).”
Finally the third point – to spend the bulk of your time with those ideal clients you love dealing with and those who could be good ideal clients for you given that you spend some time dealing with their fears. “How do I deal with their fears?” you may be wondering. It’s simpler than you think. If a customer is hesitating giving you a yes they want your product or service, then ask them if there is anything holding them back from making a decision right now. If they say yes and launch into an explanation (e.g. price and not knowing where the money is going to come from but they need this problem solved quickly) then manage that issue and assuage their fears however best suits you and your ideal client.
Alternatively, you can do a takeaway saying that it’s evident that they’re not ready to make a buying decision just yet, give them a card or a brochure and send them on their way. Either method is professional and will preserve your reputation.
For more on defining your ideal client, and selling more to only your ideal client, feel free to monitor the blog for more information in each subsequent blog post. And as always, if you need to reach me for guidance on how to generate more revenues for your business, feel free to email me directly at alisonsilbert@gmail.com.