Really Getting To Know Your Target Market

When it comes to knowing who our target market is, are you really as crystal clear as you should be?

Far too often when I ask someone who their Ideal Client is the answers are shockingly similar. For example, when speaking to an image consultant, I might get the answer. Women. Or, if they are really on top of their game, they might say Women between 20 and 60 years old, who are trying to start their own business. Well, when talking with a Business Coach I might hear: Women, between 20 and 60 who are trying to start their own business.

Hmm, aren’t those the same people? Well, the answer is … Maybe. So what, if anything, separates the Ideal Client for the Image consultant and the Business Coach?

First, let me start by saying that neither of these descriptions of an Ideal Client is complete. There are far more questions that need to be asked before you have a crystal clear image of who your Ideal Client is.

You need to start by asking yourself the following questions:

• How old are they?
• What is their sex?
• What do they all have in common?
• What do they do for a living?
• What do they earn?
• What do they read?
• Where do they hang out?
• What do they do for fun?
• What keeps them up at night?
• Do they have kids?
• Are they married? Single? Divorced? Widowed?

Until you’ve answered all these questions and dug down deeper, you’ll never know what separates your ideal clients from the rest of the population. And without that information, how can you possibly know the right way to market to them specifically?

In my original example, the Ideal Client for the Image Consultant, will most likely end up having a slightly different set of characteristics than those of the Ideal Client for the Business Coach. Of course, there may be overlaps. Those overlaps could end up leading to wonderful Strategic Alliances, but that’s best left for another article.

Save