Create your ideal client list

You’ll find many, many resources to help you figure out how to determine your target market and maybe even how to build a plan to reach them… but I don’t think this goes far enough. I think you also need to take a good hard look at your ideal client first and foremost to determine just who the individual is and what they do for your as a client.

Let’s get clear – we all have people we meet and walk away from clearly inspired and excited by the exhange of information and experience. Likewise, we meet people who completely drain us and steal our energy. When you think of the two experiences, which would you rather have on a daily basis? Which would you rather call a client?

Building a list of those characteristics should be easy. Think about the people you like to be around, the topics you like to discuss, the ethical standards on which they live, where they spend their free time, how they live their life, etc. and make a list of all of those things. Then add to this same list situations you know put your at your best (these “things” are probably items one would describe as your strengths but you would describe as easy and fun). Now you have it – a list, if not 100% complete, of the items that make up your ideal client.

Now you can put this list in to action within your target market. In your next prospect meeting, review how the meeting went and note how you felt and thought during your conversation. If you can tick off about 75% of the items on your ideal client list with that prospect, keep them around. If not, they are not a fit and it’s better to not even get started. It’s not easy to “turn down business” but in the long run you’ll find more engaging clients, you’ll enjoy what you do more, you’ll attract more of the types of clients you want to work with and ultimately you’ll see a financial return as well. I’ve been at this business owner stuff for over eight years now and each time I try to work with someone who isn’t hitting my idea client list items, it never works out. Trust me on this one…