Understanding how to define your ideal client is key when it comes to developing your content marketing strategy. Coming up with an ideal client profile can help you determine who your ideal client is, and why they’d want to work with you in the first place. 

The truth is, not everyone’s going to be the right fit for your business. Knowing who you want to work with and why will help clarify your marketing strategy so can you create content with more confidence. 

That’s because trying to appeal to everyone doesn’t work. This may sound counterintuitive, but narrowing down who you help will not only attract more people to your offers but repel people who aren’t a good fit, saving you time and effort when it comes to creating content. 

If you’re ready to dive deep into building your ideal client avatar, then follow these 5 tips to get started. 

Defining Your Ideal Client Tip # 1: Understand their pain points

The first step to defining your ideal client is to understand their pain points. Simply put, your ideal client’s pain points are the problems they are seeking answers to that your business can solve. 

To get started, consider what problems your business is here to solve in the first place. How do you help people, and what type of person needs your help?

For example, let’s say you’re a financial coach who teaches single moms how to effectively build wealth. Your ideal clients are single moms. Their pain points could be… 

• Not understanding how to budget effectively
• Not having the time or support to learn the ins and outs of budgeting

Simply put, the pain points here are a lack of understanding and a lack of time. 

Therefore, your service or product needs to prioritise your client’s understanding of how to budget and be time efficient in the process.

By clearly identifying your ideal client’s pain points, you can better understand what to include in your offer, and which kinds of people are more likely to be attracted to your business.

Defining Your Ideal Client Tip # 2: Identify their needs

Identifying your client’s needs is the next step in developing your ideal client profile. 

Oftentimes, your ideal client’s needs are emotional ones. You’re not just selling a product or service, but a solution that can create real change in someone’s life. Understanding why your client needs that change will help you form an emotional connection with them, setting your business apart. 

Let’s go back to our financial coach example:

We already know that the ideal client (the single mom) lacks the understanding and time to learn how to budget effectively. So what are her needs?

She needs to believe that building wealth is possible for her.

She also needs support in getting there. 

Understanding the emotional needs underneath your client’s pain points will help guide your messaging in the right direction. This will help you create evergreen content for your business that you can use again and again in your marketing strategy.

Defining Your Ideal Client Tip # 3: Find out what they value most

Your ideal client’s values will determine whether your business is the right fit for them. Remember, you aren’t trying to appeal to everyone, so finding out what your client values most will help you attract the right people to your business and repel the rest. 

For example, if you sell a premium product or service, then your ideal client needs to value brands that provide luxury and high quality. They also need to be able to afford what it is you’re selling.

If your brand is catered towards families who enjoy the outdoors, your ideal client will most likely value things like travel, recreation, and affordability. 

In order to determine your ideal client’s values, consider their demographic. Your ideal client’s demographic includes:

• Age
• Location
• Gender
• Background
• Income level 
• Interests

These can all offer insight into your ideal client’s values based on the stage of life they’re in, where they’re from, how much money they make, and what they’re interested in. 

Defining Your Ideal Client Tip # 4: Learn about their goals

If your ideal client’s pain points are the problems they need help with, then their goals are the place they hope to be after purchasing your product or service. 

Learning about your ideal client’s goals is important because it will inform the results your business aims to provide. This will help you create content that encourages your potential client to imagine what’s possible. 

Returning to our financial coach example, the ideal client’s goal is to build wealth. It’s likely that she already has a vision in her head of what life will look like once she’s able to meet that goal. Your job as the business owner is to paint that picture for her with your marketing, so she believes you’re the right person to get her there. 

Defining Your Ideal Client Tip # 5: Determine their buying cycle

The last step in defining your ideal client is to determine their buying cycle. The buying cycle refers to the process your client goes through before deciding whether to buy from you. 

Typically, there are 4 phases to the buying cycle. Although these vary depending on who you ask, I find this model the easiest to understand:

Awareness

The awareness stage is the point when someone discovers your business. During this stage, the customer’s pain point is front and centre. Your website can be a great tool for capturing clients during the awareness stage. 

Your job during this stage is to introduce them to your brand and educate them about how you can provide the solution they need. 

Consideration

The consideration stage occurs once someone is more familiar with your business, and is still considering if it’s the right fit for them.

Your job during this stage is to provide value, and answer questions. This is where your content strategy comes into play, as you are focused on nurturing your relationship with your ideal clients. 

Decision

The decision stage happens when your customer is ready to make a decision about who they’ll choose to solve their problem. They may have narrowed it down between you and a competitor, and are weighing their options.   

Your job during this stage is to battle objections and close the sale. 

Repurchase

The repurchase stage is all about turning your client into a raving fan. Building customer loyalty helps you gain referrals, build your reputation, and create repeat customers. 

Your job during this stage is to provide excellent service by following through on your earlier promises. 

Understanding where your ideal clients are in the buying cycle will help inform you which resources to include in your marketing strategy and when.

Ultimately, there’s no perfect formula when it comes to identifying your ideal client. Each business owner and industry will have different factors to consider when deciding who their business is for. 

However, by taking the time to consider your ideal client’s pain points, needs, values, goals, and buying cycle, you are well on your way to creating a content strategy that converts.

Now that you have a better idea of who your ideal client is, the next step is to create content that connects with your ideal client. My Converting Content with Confidence Workbook will take you through the 9 steps you need to connect with your audience, build authority in your industry, and create a confident content strategy that converts into more income. Grab your copy here to get started!