Discovering your ideal customer
The first step to business success
Solopreneurs! If you’ve been struggling to get a business off the ground, are you crystal clear on your ideal customer?
Your ideal customer is your perfect customer. The person who will line up overnight to buy from you. The person who will put their name on a waitlist and open every single email looking for news. The person who doesn’t just want your product or service — they need it. Yesterday.
But when I ask clients to define their ideal customer, they often start with broad descriptions like “new moms” or “athletes” or “Millennials.” While those are a starting point, they’re not specific enough. So here are three ways to recognize your ideal customer:
- Your ideal customer is specific. It’s not just “women” or “seniors” or “dog owners.” It’s more like “women over 65 who own dogs.” The more specific, the better.
- Your ideal customer is someone who needs your product or service, and knows it. There’s a gap or a problem in their life, and they’re actively looking for a solution. A solution you can provide.
- Your ideal customer is someone who feels this need urgently. This isn’t a nice-to-have, this is something they need now.
Flying without a map
What happens when you don’t define your ideal customer? I see a lot of businesses without one, and it shows. These owners are struggling.
They’re trying to sell things that people don’t want. (No need.)
They’re trying to convince people to buy. (No urgency.)
They’re trying to market to everyone. (Not specific.)
And here’s the thing — when your customer isn’t specific, doesn’t have a clear need, and doesn’t feel that need urgently you have to work really, really hard to succeed. It’s like pushing a boulder uphill.
You end up feeling exhausted from all that effort, with no progress to show for it.
Your marketing disappears in a sea of ads.
Your social media posts sound just like everyone else’s.
Selling feels awkward and uncomfortable and like you’re trying to push people into buying.
It feels like a crazy amount of effort.
It’s a tremendous waste of time. Also money.
Who has time for that?
Aim before you fire
You can reduce a lot of long term stress and struggle by clearly defining your ideal customer. Who is the perfect fit for your business?
Figuring out your perfect fit lets you find perfect customers easily, speak to them in ways that resonate, and offer something they’re looking for.
It also helps you narrow your focus to people you can help. If you don’t narrow your focus, you’re essentially standing in a crowd, shouting to be heard, hoping the right person will hear you. But if you can get out of the crowd into a small, intimate group you won’t need to shout to be heard.
Be specific. Who has a problem you can help with? Who has a problem that’s urgent? What do they look like? How do they act? What do they feel or believe? Where are they looking for solutions?
Answer these, and you’ll start nailing down your ideal customer.
Parting words
A strong business is built on a deep understanding of your ideal customer. Without this solid foundation you risk building on quicksand. So if you’re starting out as a solopreneur, defining a clear ideal customer is worth every minute you invest.
If you need a hand figuring this out, reach out and book a free coaching Q&A. I help new solopreneurs build solid business foundations, and defining your ideal customer is one of the first steps. I’d love to help you succeed!
