I’m so excited to have Moriah Riona sharing her expertise all about appealing to your ideal client! Good marketing starts with understanding who you are marketing to!
Moriah Riona is an award winning graphic designer and brand strategist who empowers creative female entrepreneurs with visual branding that gives them the confidence to succeed. Moriah believes that together we can create a new paradigm for business — one of compassion, kindness, cooperation, and community.
She’s a font nerd, glitter enthusiast, military wife, and #boymom based in Colorado Springs — and she’s on a mission to change the world, one fabulous brand at a time.
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I know what you’re thinking. If you only had more, then you’d really be successful. More leads, more clients, more offerings, more website visitors, more, more, more. And of course that would lead to more dollars in your bank account, right?
Well, not necessarily.
What if I told you the answer were LESS.
See, the problem is, when we start out in business it’s so easy to become a ‘jill-of-all-trades.’ We say ‘yes’ to projects we should probably say ‘no’ to. And we work with clients we probably shouldn’t.
We cast a wide net, and are pretty darn excited for anything or anyone we can catch.
However, saying yes to every client and every project that comes your way actually damages your brand. It takes away focus, and puts you in a price-comparison/discount category, where you’re “good enough” (if the price is right) but never “the one.”
Instead, what if clients sought you out because you were “the one.” The one for them. And sticker shock fades because they just. have. to. work with you??
Sounds like magic? Maybe. But it’s actually quite simple. It’s the power of knowing your Ideal Client, and then strategically marketing to them.
What is an Ideal Client?
An Ideal Client is your dream client. The one you could work with over and over again… and wish every single client was just like them.
And they’re not actually real.
(Wait, what?)
You can think of an Ideal Client as a list of characteristics that the absolute best client (for you and your brand) would have. This is more than the fact that they have money and want to buy what you offer.
It’s things like their age, location, income, education, etc. And why does this information matter? Because when you know about your Ideal Client, you know how and where to market to them.
And that’s truly powerful.
How To Create Your Ideal Client Avatar
So let’s take this whole Ideal Client thing to the next level.
Introducing: the Ideal Client Avatar.
This is gonna sound kinda crazy — but just hang with me. Because it’s gonna rock your socks (and your clients too!).
Instead of just dreaming up your Ideal Client, create their Avatar. Turn that generic list of characteristics into a fictional character, one that is so incredibly detailed that she (or he) starts to feel like a real person.
It may seem a little strange to get this specific (you should even give your avatar a name!) but by figuring out all of the little details of this “person” you can start to envision how this avatar would act and think.
This will help you speak more directly to your audience and potential clients who have similar values, likes, dislikes and needs to your avatar are going to really connect with you. Instead of just sounding like a sales pitch they’ll feel like you really get them.
One of the best compliments I receive is when new clients fill out my contact form and say “I love your website — I felt like you were talking to ME!” This means I’m making deep connections with new clients before we’ve ever met or spoken to each other — powerful stuff!
So, to get you started, I’ve created this free Ideal Client Avatar worksheet.
Download it, fill it out, and come right back here to learn:
How To Market To Your Ideal Client
Now that you know, and I mean reeeeally know your Ideal Client (did you fill out that worksheet? Seriously, go do it — you’ll thank me!), you have priceless information at your fingertips: you also know how and where to market to them!
To be strategic about this, I suggest you start with these three areas of your business:
ONE. Your Branding
Branding is my jam, and I help my clients build their brands from the ground up. So I’m a big believer in not choosing a logo or website, simply because you think ‘it’s pretty’ or you ‘just like it.’
Instead, you need to put some serious intention behind your visual branding. And knowing your Ideal Client is going to help you with that!
Reassess the following visual branding elements from your own biz, and ask yourself if they’re really aimed at connecting with that Ideal Client Avatar:
- Logo
- Color Palette
- Brand Fonts
- Website
- Business Cards
- Brand Stationery
- Printed Marketing Pieces
- Digital Marketing Pieces & Ads
If you realize these brand elements aren’t jiving with your Ideal Client, that’s a big clue to why you’re probably not consistently landing clients you love. But don’t fret! Instead think about the branding that WOULD connect with them, and then work towards a rebrand or brand refresh.
TWO. Your Content
Are you providing value to your audience? Or are you just running a loop of humble brags and sales pitches?
One’s gonna make you their hero, and the other’s gonna get you blocked, real quick.
If you don’t know your Ideal Client, it’s a little hard to know how to provide value to them. Lucky for you, you’ve got a head start!
Take a peek at that avatar you created, and ask yourself the following questions:
- What keeps them awake at night?
- What do they aspire to achieve?
- How can I help them?
When you know what your Ideal Client wants and needs — you know how you can help them! And that is the most valuable content you can create.
So after you figure it out, inject your content — your blog posts, email newsletters, social media posts, opt-in freebies, etc. — with the answers they’re looking for! You’ll have real life ideal clients coming back for more and more of that helpful info you’re providing. And they’ll start to see YOU as the expert they need.
THREE. Social Media
Social media is the perfect way to drop bite-size bits of value into your clients lives! But if you don’t know your Ideal Client, you might be barking up the wrong (social media) tree.
Just think about SnapChat. Now Facebook. Now think about the people who use those platforms… they cater to significantly different audiences.
If you know your Ideal Client, you’ll know where they’re hanging out. Is it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube?
There are just too many social media platforms for a solopreneur to keep up with — especially if you want to do it well! And really, there’s no reason to be on all of them. Instead, choose one or two, where your Ideal Client is hanging out, and focus all your energy there.
When you know your Ideal Client, you’ll know where to find them!
So now I hope you can see why less truly is more! You don’t need all the clients — you need the right clients. It’s a quality over quantity game.
And the best part is, ideal clients know other ideal clients. Work on adding value to your Ideal Client’s life — and they’ll send more your way!
Pop over to Moriah’s website to take a peek at her GORGEOUS designs and more smart tips like these! Did you make sure to grab the Ideal Client Avatar worksheet? Get it HERE!
