Review of your Ideal Client

Finding the Ideal Client

There’s one simple truth that applies to your business (along with everyone else’s): the more clearly you can define the business networking referrals you want, the easier it is for your local business networking group to help you. Imagine you’re looking for connections in retail sales.  You announce this to your networking group, only to be met with confused looks.  What kind of sales?  Are you interested in local or national companies?  Are we talking niche or mass market sales?  You can bet that at least some of the people in the room have retail connections, but without a clearer picture of what you’re looking for they’re not going to randomly pass your name along. Give some thought ahead of time to who you want on your client list, and you can easily incorporate a one-sentence profile of your ideal client into your introduction.  Not sure who’s on your client A-list?  Consider how these factors apply to your target market:

• Industry, sector, or sub-industry.  “Retail” is too vague; “Local women’s clothing stores specializing in sportswear” says it all.
• Demographics—age, gender, income, employment profile, marital status.
• Location.
• Size of client’s organization.
• Scope of client’s needs.
• Your client’s target market.
• Likelihood of repeat business.

The reality is that not all clients are created equal.  Some are easily worth the cost of doing business.  Some might actually be more of a liability than an asset.  By being specific about the clients you want, you can help your network help you in finding the right connections. Donna Willon President Focused Networking Ltd. I help You Generate More Business Through Networking Relationships, LinkedIn Training and Business Coaching 604-328-2290 donna@focusednetworking.com www.focusednetworking.com