(5 Thoughtful Questions to Ask)

Hi friends!

Have you ever launched a new service or created new content that you’re excited about, only to receive little response from your clients?

You might be asking yourself, “why can’t I connect with my audience? Am I even talking to my dream clients in the right way?”

Identifying your target audience, understanding their problems, creating messages that actually resonate with them is critical to growing your business!

In my FREE downloadable marketing guidebook, Magnetize Your Dream Clients, I’ll teach you the basics of crafting an authentic core message so that you can sell to your people with more ease.

Knowing who exactly your dream clients are (their needs, hobbies, and their favourite Gilmore Girls character, for example) allows you to tailor your messaging and offerings directly to them. 

You’ll feel confident in what you do, who you serve, and the value you provide. This will create an easier sales process that allows you to attract new clientele and make new bookings. 

It might feel like narrowing your target audience means you’re missing out on other opportunities or potential clients. In fact, the opposite is true!

Sales come from building trust with clients and solving their problems, and it’s impossible to solve everyone’s problems. 

If you create content for everyone, you’ll waste your time and energy because it won’t resonate with your target audience. 

Instead, by identifying and speaking directly to your dream clients, they will feel more seen, heard, and confident in their decision to come to you. 

So how do you know who your target audience is? We want to know the who, what, where, and why about them and their needs. 

1. WHO ARE YOU EXCITED TO WORK WITH?

You started your business for a reason; what is that reason? Who is it that you are most excited to work with or serve?

My design process focuses on heart-led business owners who are super confident in their craft but less certain about marketing and growing their business. The excitement comes from connecting with and serving other women creatives (like you). 

I love hearing about their big business goals and providing them with the support they need to achieve them! As a bonus, each collaboration with these lovely, creative women results in a new friendship.

Remember and focus on the clients who make you want to jump out of bed each morning and get to work. Your passion will keep you motivated and make it easier for you to connect with your dream clients.

2. WHAT IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE’S DEMOGRAPHIC?

What does “target audience demographic” even mean? 

Your target audience demographic is the basic information about your dream clients that lets you start to understand who they are. 

Let’s break it down into a few simple points:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Income
  • Family Status
  • Location

But why do these matter?

Well, a 20-something engaged couple looking for a photographer to capture their whimsical wedding has very different needs than retired grandparents who want a family portrait of all their grandchildren. 

Understanding your target audience’s demographic will help you craft your messaging and offer solutions tailored to their specific needs. 

3. WHAT DO YOUR DREAM CLIENTS DO?

We’re talking career, hobbies, and values here! 

There are a few reasons why knowing what your dream clients do and enjoy is important.

Understanding their career and interests can give you a better sense of what their life is like, where they need support, and the specific details that make your services resonate with them.

Clients also seek out businesses with similar values to their own, such as creativity, inclusivity, or sustainability. Knowing more about your dream client’s lifestyle and what values you both share can help determine if you’re the right fit for them. 

A little icebreaker or easy conversation never hurts either!

If you learn what TV shows they binge-watch (Parks and Rec for me) or what movies they’ve seen three times in theatres, you’ll have an instant personal connection!

4. WHAT KEEPS YOUR DREAM CLIENTS UP AT NIGHT?

This question is key! It’s the reason your clients will end up coming to you because YOU can help them with their problems or needs.

It’s important to think about what your dream client is struggling with before they work with you. What problems are they experiencing and how are they feeling? 

At Rebels & Rogues Parlour, an intimate salon in Gastown, Liz offers a unique experience targeted specifically to her client’s needs.

She recognized that her dream clients were seeking a salon with:

  • A client-focused 1:1 luxury experience
  • Expertise in creating lived-in colour
  • A personal connection and lasting relationship with their stylist

Her old website didn’t share these features. So on her new website, we focused on highlighting the unique ways she meets her ideal client’s needs. We crafted messaging that felt authentic to Liz’s work, while also speaking directly to her audience and attracting them to her salon. 

5. WHY IS THIS THE RIGHT AUDIENCE FOR YOU?

Now that you’ve identified your dream client’s lifestyle, budget, and needs, you need to be sure your offerings speak directly to them.

Think about your unique services and the client experience you offer. 

  • How do your services help your target audience? 
  • What results and feelings will your clients have after working with you?
  • Why are YOU the right person to support your dream clients?

For example, Jen specializes in fitness and holistic health programs to a very specific audience – mom and moms-to-be – with The Motherhood Project

Before we worked together, her website offered programs for moms but didn’t talk about or empathize with the many challenges or experiences of motherhood.

Together, we focused on Jen’s ideal clients and crafted messaging that spoke to them about how they might be feeling or what they’re experiencing. Then, we created a website page, called the ‘TMP Experience’, specifically to show how The Motherhood Project supports their clients on their motherhood journeys.

By reflecting on these 5 thoughtful questions, you’ll start identifying your target audience, what that they do, and their values, needs, and problems. From there, you can focus your messaging and offerings to attract your dream clients!

For more help on how to identify your target audience and craft an authentic core message, download for my FREE Magnetize Your Dream Clients guidebook.

How to Identify and Attract Your Dream Clients

October 27, 2021