When I coach my clients, and I ask them who their ideal client is, they usually say, “Everyone.”
That’s because they honestly believe that their message can help everyone.
And it probably can.
The trouble is, the market doesn’t like solutions that appeal to the masses. They want their own customized solution, or at least someone who is an expert in their industry.
There isn’t a prospect alive who hasn’t said to you, “But my busi ness is different.”
The key to winning that business is to focus on the prospects who are your best fit.
Here are three questions I ask my coaching clients to explore so they can find their best prospects and their idea customer.
Question 1. Who do you like to work with? Yes, it is all about you. Why shouldn’t you work with people you want to work with? People who get you and understand you? People you like and understand? What could be worse than dealing with a person who is the epitome of everything you hate? If that’s the case, you might as well get a job.
Question 2. Who are the people who like to work with you? Let’s face it. We’re not a perfect fit for everyone. Some people don’t like the fact you won’t work past 6 p.m. at night, won’t take business calls on weekends and won’t cut your rates to rock bottom just because they asked. Who needs them? I’m sure you can find lots of other attributes you hate in clients (i.e. Type A personalities, people who can’t make decisions, people who don’t pay their bills on time, people who see the negative in everything, people who don’t praise your work. You get the idea.) Who needs them? Life is too short to work with jerks.
Question 3. They can afford to pay you. Just because you can help everyone in the world doesn’t mean you have to help everyone in the world. Some people will not want to pay your full fee or can’t afford to hire you. Your skill set might help the help people just out of college, as well as helping the vice president who wants to get move into the president’s office. Who has more money to pay you? Unless your passion is to help people just out of college, go for the gold. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to help the college student if that’s where your heart is. Follow your heart and you’ll feel fulfilled, which might be better than money.
Helping people who want you to help the m and get paid a fair wage – Isn’t that what running your business is all about?
Dan Janal, author of Reporters Are Looking for YOU!
