Sales Effectiveness Lesson 2: Ideal Client
June 2010

Sales Effectiveness: Lesson 2

Ideal Client

In our April 2010 newsletter we challenged you with a sales effectiveness quiz to support your success in our recovering economy.  Subsequently, we are looking at one question in depth every month.  Now let's take a look at lesson number 2 that will produce real momentum if you act on it.

Our second question was: "Have you identified the characteristics of your new ideal client so that you invest your time and energy in the best directions?"

Most business leaders have an idea about their ideal client or know one when they see one.  But that doesn't necessarily translate to designing your whole company to find the ideal client and not wander too far astray with clients that aren't a great match.

Why is making this an explicit part of your business planning practice worthwhile?  Your reputation and word of mouth referrals are likely your best marketing tools.  You also likely do your best work with your ideal clients.  They are most prepared to use your products and services to their maximum potential.  Therefore, they are the most likely to say some version of "Wow!"  And a wow from one great client begets a wow from the next great client. 

Needless to say, your least ideal clients cost you time and energy that does not provide you the "return" you are looking for.  You may have a few of these less than ideal clients occasionally, but you don't want to have your lack of intention in this arena get institutionalized.  The result of that would be working in a business you don't really enjoy working in!

How do you determine what constitutes your ideal client?  It's easier than you think.  Gather your team together and make two lists: Best Clients and Worst Clients.  For each client on both of these lists, write out the characteristic that makes that organization a best or worst customer.  Now determine the five most important characteristics that comprise your ideal client profile and the five most important characteristics of your worst client profile. 

You now have ten characteristics and can figure out your own rating system.  For example, if you awarded 2 points for every positive characteristic and -1 point for every negative characteristic, all of your clients could be rated from -5 to +10.  A client is a -5 client if they have all five of your worst client characteristics and none of your ideal client characteristics.  Another client would be a +10 if they have all five ideal client characteristics and none of the worst client characteristics. 

You may find it interesting to assess your existing client base on your scale to see where you are now.  More importantly, you can now determine the best approach to attracting ideal clients so you can eventually pass up work you don't enjoy or profit from.  This will involve some serious scrutiny of your mission statement and marketing approach, as well as your delivery system.  It will also likely involve some deep soul searching and an exploration of your personal way of being, as in "Why do I keep attracting customers who ....?"  Fill in your own words and go to work.  Once again it's a matter of the heart.  If your heart is clearly illuminated with positive qualities that offer genuine value, you will attract the type of clients who match up.  And, of course, the opposite is also true. 

Once you know who your ideal client is, the most important question to ask yourself is, "If I want to attract more ideal clients, who do I need to be and how do I need to reinvent our offer to attract them?"  You may recall LionHeart's second principle: Intention is the Key.  It's worth thinking about.