You’ve probably heard at some point in your time, somebody in the marketing world blathering on about an ideal customer profile, or an ideal customer avatar, as some would call it. Do you have one for your business, or more specifically for your product or service? If not, why not? And if you do, how specific is it?
There are two separate elements required for an effective ideal customer profile and they are demographics and psychographics.
Demographics is the easy part.
How old are they, where do they live, what job do they have, how much money do they earn, and so on. That sort of data is easy to figure out.
How specific should you get with it? Some might say, really specific. And some might say that it’s okay to be relatively vague with it. I don’t think there’s any right answer to that question, not really. I guess it depends on you and what you’re selling.
We also have psychographics.
This stuff is a little bit more wishy washy, it is much less tangible. This is the stuff that is about, what do they like or they dislike, what makes them happy, what makes them sad, how do they enjoy spending their time, what do they most hate doing, and so on. It is the stuff that makes the person who they are.
With the psychographics, I strongly advise that you get really specific with that. Again, some will say, be really specific, and some will say there’s no need so feel free to be vague. But as I said, I strongly advise that you get really specific with it. There is a reason for that.
Let’s give a mention to specificity in your ideal customer profile
The demographics, where do they live, what job do they have, what car they drive, and so on. That data helps you identify people. It helps you identify your ideal customer. That is information that you can put directly into your marketing. That will help your ideal customer to identify with your marketing and to spot themselves within the stories that you create. You do need to be specific with your demographic data but it doesn’t have to be super in depth.
The psychographic data, however, is what is required to ensure that you really speak to those people. That when you speak, you are interacting with those people on a level that really matters. You are speaking to an individual, they need to feel that.
You get in their head and in their heart, you speak to them as if you know them, you are talking about what they’re thinking, and what they’re feeling. Also, you are engaging on a level that only somebody that knows them would normally be able to do.
This data, the psychographic data I mean, is often much harder to come up with but essential for an effective ideal customer profile.
That is because how do you know, how do you know what a person is thinking and feeling, how do you know what they like or dislike, how do you know all of these different things?
If you have existing customers and those customers are, in your mind, the exact people that you want to work with and the people that the solution that you provide is absolutely a perfect fit for, then spend some time interacting with those people on a personal level. Spend some time getting to know them and understanding them so that you can get that data that you need, so you can find more people like them.
If you don’t have any customers yet, then who would you like to work with?
Think about people you already know, of those people who would be the best possible person that you could work with? That you could provide your service or your product to? Someone that you could provide a solution to?
Then, spend some time studying those people. The same principles apply. Yes, they may not be customers but they’re the people that you want to work with. They’re the people that you feel are going to be a good fit for what you’re selling. So spend some time studying those people and getting to know those people, figure out what makes them tick. You will get the data that you need.
Nothing is set in stone and nothing is forever, least of all your ideal customer profile
When it comes to an ideal customer profile it is important to recognise that these things, what you think and feel is your perfect customer right now is not set in stone. This is not a one and done operation. You will need to continually do this, you will need to continually add to and take away from your ideal customer profile so that you can always ensure that you’re dealing with exactly the right people.
You need to keep making updates to that profile. Your ideal customer will evolve over time, so your ideal customer profile needs to evolve with it.
There’s no use working with data that is no longer relevant
So ensure that you are continually updating your ideal customer profile. More data is always better. There are some aspects of life where too much data is suffocating but, this is not one of them.
The more data you have, the easier it is for you to connect with those people in your marketing, the easier it is to close sales with those people when you get on the phone, and so on. So make sure that your ideal customer profile is absolutely rammed to the brim with data. Keep adding to that all the time.
Every interaction that you have with people that are in some way conforming to your ideal customer profile will give you new data to work with. So make sure that you apply that data, always.
Continually update your data set, never stop.
One of the most important aspects of your marketing strategy is to keep adding that data, so you can continue to empathise with and understand your ideal customer. So that you can connect with them properly, on a level that matters, on a level that makes them feel like you truly understand them and what they need, and so on.
When they are looking for a solution to a problem that you solve, you are the only person that they think of because they know that you get them and understand them. They know that you are the person to solve their problem, your product and solution or service, however you want to label it, that is the thing that they need. Nothing short of that will cut the mustard.
That’s what having an ideal customer profile does for you, your product, your service and your business. So make sure you properly set up your ideal customer profile, and make sure you keep adding to it at all times.
Your ideal customer profile is a vital component of your marketing strategy
Your marketing is one of the few things that are under your control. Having an ideal customer profile in place is one of the ways you can ensure that your marketing hits the right notes with your audience. If you would like to read about exactl;y what is under your control as a business owner and what you should let go of then give this a read https://mybizacademy.co.uk/the-worthwhile-worries-of-a-busy-business-owner
If you would like some help to come up with an ideal customer profile then you need to get yourself booked in for a session with me. The ICP (ideal customer profile) sessions are £99 each and will set you up right for success. Head over to the contact page on my company website to get booked in for yours https://mikethebizguy.co.uk/Contact