Finding Ideal Clients: How to Attract the Ones You Want and Avoid the Ones You Don't
What is the difference between an ideal client and one that's so-so? For starters, ideal clients empower you to reach new heights while the so-so clients activate your fears and insecurities. Let me explain. Working with your ideal clients highlights your purpose every day and creates consistent joy, while the so-so clients mentally drain you and cause you to reach burnout. If you think your ideal client is everyone, then this article is for you. Many entrepreneurs, including myself, have failed to identify who they want to work with and experienced costly mistakes, so you are not alone! I will break down how to attract your ideal client and avoid those who aren't good for business.
Why finding ideal clients matters for your business
There's a popular saying circulating in the entrepreneurship world; If your efforts are to serve everyone, you will end up serving no one.
It's so common for entrepreneurs to believe their product or service is suitable for everyone. This assumption and lack of clarity doesn't strongly capture the attention of any demographic and subjects entrepreneurs to financial losses, difficult clients, and severe stress (learn how to manage your stress levels).
You may question that narrowing your market limits you from reaching success and puts you in a wait-until-they-come mode, and you're not alone. I felt the same when I created my photography business. I thought, like many other entrepreneurs, that I needed to work with everyone to succeed. But after losing time and depleting my energy to the point of burnout, I gained a valuable lesson. There are exceptionally wonderful people who genuinely need and value what you offer.
When you get rid of the limiting beliefs and entrepreneurial assumptions, you can direct your time to appeal to an audience that values what you offer. The more you understand who your ideal client is versus who you don't like, it will become easier to attract clients that empower, inspire, and motivate you to uplevel your business. You become a magnet for attracting people that help you achieve your goals.
It also provides an added advantage. When you create content that addresses the pain and pleasure points of your ideal clients, it forms an instant connection. This connection creates the "they get me' feelings, 'I want to hire them' results and 'finally someone who understands what I am experiencing' benefits. And your business can only soar from this point forward.
To begin attracting your ideal clients and avoiding the ones you don't want, let's discuss a few strategies to make the process easier.
Reflect and test the waters
When entrepreneurs first discover who they want to work with, everything falls in alignment. An aha-aha moment begins ringing in your mind, and you feel compelled to market to only those who make you dance with happiness. Pathways to money even flow more abundantly, and for the first time, you feel like your business is unstoppable - it's a great feeling.
But to get there, you need to do a bit of self-reflection and review your current client base. How are your current clients making you feel? Do they empower you and make you feel happy each day? Or are they making you second-guess yourself?
Rather than taking a shot in the dark, reflect on the traits and qualities your current client base possesses. This reflection session will provide a deeper understanding of a pros and cons checklist. Your pros and cons checklist will be your guide each time you meet a new client. If you receive more red flags, then it's a pretty good indicator that this client is a no-go.
For my photography business, my client and I must work well together. Coming to a studio and getting a glamour shoot or a boudoir shoot or any shoot really is a very vulnerable thing for someone. You might feel shy, emotions and insecurities might surface, and you might have a strong emotional reaction which is understandable because you are out of your comfort zone. Discovering who my ideal client was, created a safe space and allowed them to creatively express themselves, release their inner goddess, and reconnect to the powerful woman they are. Without reflecting on the traits and qualities that I like, I wouldn't have been able to translate this level of safety, comfort, and connection.
And the only way to determine who you like is to test the waters and reflect.
Market to your ideal client
After creating your detailed pros and cons checklist guide, determine where your ideal clients hang out and market to them. Ask yourself, What social media platforms do they use? Do they like Facebook or LinkedIn? Where are they searching for information?
Then dig a little deeper to explore their psychology because determining their goals and pain points will give you an upper hand. When you understand their behaviors, wants, and needs, it's easier to find and attract them. It also helps you to avoid the ones you don't want.
For example, if you're a photographer like myself, knowing that your ideal client has a goal of reconnecting to themselves postpartum will instantly grab her attention when your marketing content reflects her personal goals.
This strategic move translates to trust and likeability with your brand. Your clients will not only feel connected to the person behind the lens, but your business will grow and be more sustainable long-term.
You can also use this same tip to avoid clients you don’t want to work with. For example, if you are attracting clients whose values don’t align with yours, make sure your content aligns with your mission, your why, and your intention.
Understanding these psychological features about your audience – like WHO they are, WHAT they like, and WHERE they hang out – will not only help you discover more about those you want to serve but will help you choose the perfect audience for your marketing.
Pricing and consistency
When you determine who your ideal client is and what problem you are solving for them, you become more efficient. You also become more aware of the value of time and create strategies to use your time wisely. With these developed processes, the solution you provide becomes more valuable and profitable. Hello, money.
But to reach this abundant phase, you need to learn how to price consistently.
You might have noticed I talk about the connection between price and worth a lot in my blog. It is something entrepreneurs must prioritize for the sake of their business. Not pricing your services consistently and not offering prices that reflect the worth of your talents creates overwhelming stress and discomfort. Trust me. I've been there.
I know money is an uncomfortable topic for many. It creates anxious feelings, surfaces subconscious beliefs, and can often place you in a constant-want mode. To avoid this, you need to address your relationship with money to attract your ideal clients. Your ideal clients are ready to pay you what your services are worth, but they won't appreciate it if you offer inconsistent prices. It's a surefire way to send them looking elsewhere.
Spend some time evaluating your relationship with money, explore your attitude about rich people or poor people, start looking at what you are creating and doing for others so that you can start valuing the services you offer, and pricing them accordingly. While I'm advising you to stick to the prices you set, you can always evaluate as you get more comfortable, more experienced and raise your prices when you are ready. I’ve raised my prices 4 times in the past 10 years. Remember, just as you want to attract them in your life, they want to attract a talented entrepreneur like yourself who will solve their problem.
If you’re struggling with valuing what you offer, check out my article where I discuss how to cultivate self-love.
Another great resource about this topic is the book “The Science of Getting Rich.” It is a must read in my opinion.
Learn to embrace that ‘not everyone is an ideal fit’
Every client will not be an ideal fit for you, but that's okay. It can be counter-productive to work with clients who aren't a great fit. Demanding clients or so-so clients that drain your energy can disrupt your money-making and personal growth time. When you focus on finding and marketing your ideal clients, you receive a winning trifecta of benefits. Your energy increases, you have more productive working relationships, and your long-term success and abundance will skyrocket.
Doesn’t that sound great! Besides, you would never be able to serve every human on the planet. You just want a percentage and not everyone is going to resonate or love your work and that’s okay.
Embracing the belief that not every client will be an ideal fit for you will not only improve your mental capacity, but it will also empower you to reach new heights. If you liked this article and want more about self-development and entrepreneurship, please let me know in the comments.
With love,
Judith