When you first start out in business there is alot of emphasis on identifying and knowing your ideal client. Sometimes called buyer persona or ideal audience, it all means the same thing: Who exactly, is your business targeting?


Knowing your ideal client informs so many aspects of your business. How you market your business, where you show up, the content you produce, pricing, launches and more.


I’m sure you have heard the saying ‘when you speak to everyone you speak to no-one.’ If you don't know who your brand is targeting, you can not create marketing material and content that connects and demonstrates the value offered and why they need you. In short, you might as well be speaking to no one!


To get sales you need to have a nurtured audience who are ready to buy from you. They know what you have to offer, they understand how your service can help them and they trust you. But this doesn’t happen overnight! By really knowing your target audience you can create marketing activities and content that takes them on this journey and therefore moves them towards a sale.


Here are my top 3 considerations when identifying and understanding your ideal client


1. Understand not only the problem your service solves, but also the transformation you bring to them. This is key to showing the value of what you offer. The question to answer is ‘How will my service make my ideal client’s life better?’


2. Know the language your ideal client uses. By using familiar language in your content, you are showing your value in a relatable and easily understood way. It allows your audience to feel connected to what you are saying as they are not having to decipher their way through technical language.


3. Identify the barriers between your ideal client buying your service. By knowing what is standing in between you and your client, you can address these issues in your content before they even come up. It enables you to dispel any myths related to your service or industry and share the value you offer.


So how do you find out this information?


1. Do your market research! Yep, it all starts here! Questionnaires and interviews are a great way to find out what your ideal client needs, thinks and desires. Prep your questions in advance and focus on the key information you want to obtain. This helps you understand their needs, the language they use and the barriers to making a purchase from you.


2. Get feedback! Feedback is a great insight into how others perceive your value and the language they use. As you start to work with clients, ask for useful and constructive information about their experience of working with you, your brand and your service.


3. Revisit activities 1 and 2! Market research and feedback should feature regularly in your business activities. Even as an established business it is important to know what your clients need and how they view you to make the right business decisions. These are also a great way to check in on your branding. Do your clients view your brand in the same way you do? One of my favourite activities is to ask my clients to describe my business in 3 words. I then use this information to compare with my values to check my brand is aligned.


Knowing your ideal client, their problems, desires, objections and language really does enable you to focus your activities in the right places to attract and nurture your audience to increase your sales.


Hannah Roper, founder and director of The Female Creative, is a coach and mentor to female business owners, helping them reduce their overwhelm and turn their ideas into action through goal setting, accountability and increasing their confidence and self belief. With over 20 years in learning and development and 7 years as an entrepreneur, Hannah uses her experience and knowledge to provide solutions to business growth and organisation through 121 coaching, a group membership and as a podcast host for The Female Creative Talks Podcast. Hannah has recently been chosen to receive an award for Top 20 Female Business Coaches of 2022 by Coach Foundation and was nominated for the 2022 Pamodzi Inspirational Women Awards for the second year in a row in the business category.

To find out more please visit www.thefemalecreative.co.uk