Identifying Your Ideal Client


May 19, 2022

 by Josh E.
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If I asked you could you describe your ideal client right now? I mean really describe them. Down to the smallest detail.

No? You are not alone. Most gym owners I talk to can barely give me any specifics about their ideal clients. Most of the time it's nothing more than age and gender.

But without a very clearly defined ideal customer profile, you are just shooting in the dark with your marketing.

 

What is an Ideal Client Profile?

An ideal client profile is a detailed description of exactly WHO your customer is down to the smallest detail. Crafting your ideal client profile is crucial because it impacts virtually every aspect of your client-generating activities, including:

  • Copywriting – how to craft a message specifically for your customer that can be used in all areas of your marketing
  • Website – how your site should look and function
  • Content marketing – blog posts, seminars, webinars, videos, podcasts, or lead magnets
  • Type of products – e-books, programs, or other products that can solve a specific problem your customers face

Every part of your lead generation strategy that “touches” your potential customer, and that’s pretty much all of them, will improve when you develop an ultra-clear picture of exactly who your customer is.

After all, you are trying to connect with a real person. Spending time developing your customer persona, in the beginning, helps you to find customers and allows for a greater opportunity to move them to action.

 

How to Craft Your Ideal Client Profile

Almost all business development agencies or coaches recommend creating an ideal client profile and depending on who you ask, they run from really simple, to extremely complicated. I have identified 5 areas that I have found crucial to the creation of an ideal client profile.

The 5 areas provide a very clear picture of who your potential customer is, but also don’t require a marketing degree to create. As I describe each area, look at the sample ideal client profile.

Part 1: WHO. Demographics are useful when writing copy for blogs, emails, or your website. Age, gender, and marital status are just a few of the questions to answer. Again, the more specific you get, the more specific your marketing message can be.

Sample Client Profile

  • Age: 45
  • Occupation: Sales Manager
  • Gender: Male
  • Income: $125,000
  • Marital Status: Married
  • Education Level: Master’s degree
  • Children: 2
  • Ages: 6 & 8
  • Location: Orange County, CA

Part 2: WHERE. This will help you identify where to market. Knowing what books and magazines they read, the websites they frequent, or social media accounts they use can direct you to the kinds of places that your message can get in front of them.

  • Books: Think and Grow Rich, Good to Great
  • Magazines: Success, Men’s Health
  • Websites:  CNN, Netflix
  • Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
  • Fitness Information: Facebook, Magazines, YouTube

Part 3:WHY. Knowing what they want to achieve, and what values they hold dear allows you to create more relevant programs and products. What are their specific goals, and what values do they hold dear?

     Goals: 

  • lose 15-20 lbs
  • increase lower body strength
  • have more energy throughout the day

    Values:

  • time with family
  • cannot interfere with job
  • wants to see results quickly

Part 4: HOW. What challenges do they face? What are their specific pain points? If you can anticipate the answers to these questions, you can continue to fine-tune your message to address them.

     Challenges:

  • hectic work schedule
  • family obligations
  • tried and failed multiple times

    Pain Points:

  • fear of failing, again
  • fear of losing money

Part 5: WHAT. What are their possible objections? Anticipating the potential reasons that they may not take advantage of your product or service will allow you to continue to craft your message in a way that alleviates these objections.

    Objections:

  • how is this different than programs they have done before

 

Create Multiple Ideal Client Profiles

Don’t stop at just one. Build multiple ideal client profiles for your business. Especially if you offer multiple services, such as 1:1 personal training or boot camp. Each program appeals to different segments of the market. And those well-defined segments are especially important for growing multiple streams of revenue.