Defining your ideal client, also know as your avatar, is a prerequisite to everything else you do. Without clarity around who you service, what problem you will solve for them and where they hangout, you have no direction or target for your business. You’ll find that often your avatar is some version of you or a current client.
Your business has one main avatar who best represents that person you can serve at the very highest level because you fully understand them and what they need. Think about defining your avatar like creating a character in a novel. The more detailed you are about their behaviors, how they live their lives and what’s important to them, the more effective you will be at the creating products they need and marketing those products and services.
Creating your avatar can be a really fun process. Give yourself time to do it justice. Think about your ideal client, give her/him a name and then start writing their story. In walking through this process you will not only be defining who you WANT to work with but who you DON’T want to attract. When you try to be everything to everyone you dilute your message and your product, reducing the value to all. In his best-selling book Book Yourself Solid, Michael Port describes this process like that of an elite nightclub where entrance is limited to those who gain access beyond the red velvet rope. What is your red velvet rope? Who get’s in and receives your VIP treatment?
Following are some questions to prompt you in the process. Remember, you’ll be using the answers to these questions in your product development and marketing. Investing time now will have big payoffs down the line.
Put yourself in your avatar’s head and interview yourself. Expand these answers and add additional information:
- Male or female?
- Name
- Age
- Where do you live?
- Single? Married? Divorced? Widowed?
- Children? Grandchildren? Age?
- Describe your personality? Driven, relaxed, supportive…
- What is your profession or vocation?
- Annual income?
- The story of your career?
- Education level
- Current health and body
- Relationships; friends, romantic, family
- Free time activities and hobbies
- What social media do you use regularly?
- Do you read print magazines? Which ones?
- Who are your mentors or authorities you follow?
Create this character in such depth that you could describe her to someone and they would think you are talking about a dear friend.
Now, use this character profile while you create your product and service offering. When it’s time to market, speak to this avatar directly.