Describe your ideal client – not necessarily your top clients now (although that in itself will be interesting). Are your clients now also “ideal clients?”
Consider these specifics…
- Age
- Sex
- Geographic area
- Do both spouses work outside the home?
- Profession(s)
- Income Level
- Number of children
- Ages of children
- Do they own pets?
- Type of home
- Multiple homes?
Why this is so important:
Your greatest success will be with your ideal clients – those who are “like-minded” to your own values and your own descriptive client list. They are the 20% from whom you will reap 80% of your business.
Now that you have your ideal client, the next step is to determine their
A Pain is something that is a problem in their day to day life, something that can be addressed with commitment and attention.
A Fear is something that is in the future, may or may not happen, and the more they worry about it, the bigger it gets.
Once you know your client’s pains and fears, then you may talk to them about your
So why might your ideal client be postponing having a family portrait done?
Maybe their pain is that they don’t have the time or ability to gather the family for a portrait during typical business hours.
A solution you may offer is to be available during evenings, weekends, or around the holidays when families usually come together.
Could your ideal client’s fear be that the economy will remain slow and they will not be able to afford your services?
Various solutions may be to offer a payment plan or an “Early Bird” sale.
Bottom line, when you focus on them, and understand what their pains and fears are, they will begin to trust you and will be more apt to call you when they are ready to buy.