In business, we want to work with the right people. We want to connect with people that will value what we do, that jive with our values and who our company was designed for. We want our ideal client.
Since opening Wrennwood almost 9 years ago, we have had to revisit this subject frequently because we couldn’t possibly cater to everyone. We are not the wedding planners that can channel our inner Oprah and say, “You get a wedding! You get a wedding! Everyone gets a wedding!” Although we can create a beautiful and unique weddings for any client, it isn’t always that simple. For both us and our clients, its important to be on the same page so that the end result is the best it can be. Ultimately we develop an extremely close relationship with most clients and their families, and we want what we design to be a good reflection of what we put our best work into. Without this relationship and connection, we wouldn’t be able to able to have this many five-star reviews! So began the journey of discovering our ideal client.
If you are a business owner, when you started your business and had your light bulb moment for what you wanted to do, who did you visualize? Who did you see being the customer for your business? Knowing who they are is so important because not only does it mean you have created a product or service for the right person, but that your marketing will support you reaching this person.
Why Is This Important
Sometimes our thoughts on our ideal client can become foggy. We frequently (beginning of each yearly road-map session…more on this later) we spend some time checking in with who they are or who they need to be so that we can be intentional about all of our processes and experience that we build around out company. If you are a business owner, know that this “ideal client” can change depending on what stage you are at with your own business.
AS A BUSINESS: Identifying your ideal client is fun and the reason it’s fun is that you are outlining exactly who you want to work with and attract to your business. You are cutting through the noise and getting clear. We want people who are going to value what we do. You’re in business because you are passionate about what you do PLUS you want to make money using that passion, it is business after all. To do this you need to know who your ideal client/customer is. By outlining who they are you not only save yourself time in your marketing but you are also spending every effort speaking to the right people for your business.
AS AN INDIVIDUAL: Aligning yourself with companies and brands that share the same values and aesthetic as you is important. Being able to connect on a personal level holds more value in bringing any result to fruition. If you approach a company solely due to price, their end result will mostly likely not match your vision if their style or experience doesn’t align with yours.
That is gold!
In truly understanding your ideal client you will be able to create a truly personalized approach in marketing your business and nurturing your clients so that are both satisfied in the end result.
4 Steps to Help Identify Your Ideal Client
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Create an identity
- We want to start with who they are and their identity. A great place to start is age – because if you know the age of your customer then you could do a cheeky bit of research into popular names of the year they were born. Then you’ve got a name for your persona. Once we give them a name they are already taking shape and forming an identity.
- Give them a name, age range, relationship status, kids or no kids, area they live in, job they have, etc.
- Ours would look something like this: 75% Female between the ages of 25-45 career professional, engaged to be married, lives in Atlanta area)
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Analyze their life
- After diving into who they are, we want to look at their life. When creating a persona you want to look at what their life picture. Almost imagining a photograph and this photograph can tell you everything about who they are and what they do. You know those quizzes when you its filled with clues and you’ve got to guess the song names or film from all these little clues? Think of it like that, you are piecing together the clues and solving the mystery.
- Figure out some targets like: where do they work and how long have they worked there, where do they go every day, what are their daily routines, how do they communicate, are they on social media, what characteristics do they have, what are their values, do they have hobbies, what is their home like, what is their style?
- Ours would look something like this: corporate america, beginning or mid-career, typically going to work everyday, communicating best over email or phone, on facebook and instagram. They value family, time and creating an experience for their guests. They have an interest in traveling, experiencing new things and being outdoors. Their style could be defined as comfortable luxury with pops of interesting elements.
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Identify their challenges
- Understanding and identifying your customers challenges not only help you understand them but you can speak directly to their challenges. Part of this is bringing emotion and authenticity to your marketing.
- Our clients challenges include: not enough time in the day, knowing their style but not knowing how to pull it all together, and wanting an expert to help simplify the planning process
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Define who is NOT your ideal client
- Our client is NOT: a micromanager – they are hiring us for a reason, a DIY’er – they are hiring us for our style expertise and being able to bring their vision to life, a fad-follower – our client wants a timeless design and not an event they will look back on in 20 years with regret.
Stick around for more business tips like these from Wrennwood!
