Home Viewpoints Business Development How to identify your client Friday, 05 December 2008
             
How to identify your client PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 21 August 2008 20:59

When you have your own business, identifying your market (ideal client) is one of the most important things. In today’s world, it’s almost the kiss of business death to assume everyone is your market.

Have you ever met a small business owner who told you “everyone” is their ideal client? I have met many entrepreneurs who think like this and hearing this type of response is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. It’s always interesting to follow that up by a polite, “so…how’s business going?” Try it next time. For those who assume everyone is their potential client, I have found two things they all have in common:

1. They sound like they don’t know what they are doing.
2. Business isn’t going so well.

This is why doing your market research is important and comes in handy. Trust me, it will save you and your business lots of time, money, and embarrassment (see above).

Think about who will be using your products or services.
How old are they? What is their gender? How much money do they have? What are their habits? Where do they live? Why would they want to buy your product over the competitor’s product? Where do they find your product or service?

Do research.
Once you think you’ve identified your ideal client, look further. If hiring a professional market researcher is out of your realm of possibility, visit your local Small Business Development Center and get their take on the matter. You should also ask friends, family, and other acquaintances for their input.

Develop a client profile.
Once you have collected the information above, include your client profile in your business plan. Check back every month to compare this with those who are actually buying your products or services. Don’t be afraid to tweak or change the client profile as you go along.


Katie Skow
Entrepreneur Goddess
www.entrepreneurgoddess.com
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