Running Low on Time, Money, and Patience?

It’s Time to Create Your Ideal Client Profile!

Without an Ideal Client Profile (ICP) you’ll find yourself working too hard, spending too much, and wasting valuable marketing potential. I know because, like so many other business owners, I have been there. So what is an Ideal Client? Believe it or not, it isn’t just anyone with a checking account! You’ll know your Ideal Client because they’re your best client.

How do you spot your Ideal Client? They:
• Easily pay you on time and don’t ask you to lower your prices.
• Understand and value what your services can help them accomplish.
• Refer you to others without even being asked.
• Are repeat clients whenever they’re ready for another “shot”.
• Give you energy – emotionally and financially!

Are you attracting your Ideal Clients? Or are you attracting clients from hell?

It’s important to know who your Ideal Clients are. After all, the purpose of creating an ICP is to make your business and personal life easier. The profile brings consistency and focus to all of your marketing messages, making them powerfully effective. You’ll know exactly which clients are worth your time, and which aren’t. No more worrying about chasing clients and spending dollar after dollar.

After all, isn’t there more than enough “stuff” for us to do as business owners?

Defining your Ideal Client doesn’t mean you can’t change it. It doesn’t mean that you can’t accept clients who aren’t your ideal either. But you won’t even want to work with anyone else, once you’ve witnessed the benefits of working with your Ideal Client. Your ICP will help you target your best clients, and monitor your company’s marketing efforts. You’ll be able to note, track, and evolve with changes in your market – allowing your business to grow instead of hitting a wall.

When you identify the type of client YOU want to work with you’ll:
• Have more free time because all of your marketing/networking/PR efforts will be targeted.
• Build confidence as you work with people/organizations/businesses who appreciate your skills.
• Focus your marketing message, and communicate with clarity when you speak or network.
• Be able to create a business, marketing, and financial plan much more easily.
• Find that your Ideal Clients often know others who fit your ICP and can easily refer them.
• Gain expert status in a particular area, which will bring more business.
• Be found more often on the web because your keywords will be consistent.

What else happens when you create an ICP?  You’ll leave a remarkable impression and the people you meet with remember you longer.  You’ll attract great clients because your market material will show that you understand their specific wants and needs.  For example: With my ICP, I found that 95% of my ideal clients wanted to create million dollar businesses and had businesses that had employees.  However, they wanted to work less and have a better life outside the office.   Armed with this information, I changed who I was targeting in my networking efforts, marketing materials, and speaking engagements so that I was around more of those types of business owners.  My ICP also helped me create articles, programs, ebooks, templates, and classes to sell to my Ideal Clients because the topics were what they needed to reach their goals.

The many ways to use the ICP to create additional streams of income are endless.  So take a risk and niche.  The time to create your Ideal Client Profile is today!

© 2001-2011 Elevating Your Business. Maria Marsala is a forensic business coach, speaker, and author of eight workbooks geared toward helping CEOs and executives in the financial and professional services industries. Her Stop Working with Jerks CD provides step-by-step tools — templates, samples, audios, spreadsheets and group coaching — that help create an Ideal Client Profile. Visit our store to learn more