Do you talk to your friends the same way you talk to your children? Of course not, and that’s because they are two different audiences who you talk to for two very different reasons.
The same goes for the people you target (or not) in your business. You have different reasons for connecting with different audiences, and you speak to them in different ways. And for those you don’t necessarily want to attract to your business? Well, you try not to speak to them at all!
While I’m not a fan of ideal client avatar exercises, it does pay to do some work to find out who your audience is. This allows you to be more intentional in your marketing so you don’t have to work as hard to make that sale.
Think about your favorite clients. The clients you can’t wait to get on the phone with. Those who send you the information you need—pronto—when asked. The ones who send you valuable feedback on your services. The clients who make you cry happy tears from time to time, because you’re just so damn grateful that they trust you with their business. (Yes, I love those clients too!)
These are the clients who you want to attract and who you should be speaking to in your messaging. Because, really, if you were going to be miserable every day you might as well have stayed at your day job! One of the best things about being a business owner is that you get to decide who you work with. And who you don’t.
To find those dreamboat clients, you need to really understand your ideal audience. (Use my Know Your Audience worksheet to explore them a bit as you work through some of the questions below, and then some.)
- Often your clients will have similar values to you. After all, that’s part of your business and your personality. Make sure you have a clear handle on what it is you value in your business.
- You also need to know what problem(s) they have so you can ensure that you have the services and skills to solve those problems. And sometimes, clients don’t even know that they have a problem. You need to tell them what it is!
- Knowing who your audience is also means knowing where they hang out. Who do they get their information from now, and where do they find it? This is a key piece of the puzzle, because you have to be able to find your peeps in order to work with them!
- But probably the most important part of identifying your audience is knowing how you can connect with them. I don’t mean just talking to them, because some of you may not ever talk to your audience.When I say “connect” with your audience, I mean: relate to them, resonate with them, click, bond, etc. You should have something in common, a story that touches them, ideas that spark interest, something that connects the two of you—on any level. It doesn’t have to be something super deep and meaningful; it just needs to strike a chord in your audience that makes them sit up straight and listen.
Through this connection, you’ll build trust with your audience. And trust will help convert your audience members into customers. Because your message is easier to tell to an audience that’s paying attention to what you’re saying.
