How to Find the Ideal Clients

Sorrento Valley Hera Hub member Heidi Hutchison, partner marketing strategist at the Tau Consulting Group, advises members on how to find their ideal client.

As entrepreneurs, our time is precious and how we spend it even more so.  So why do we find ourselves spending time chasing after clients and prospects that don’t fit our ideal client profile?

Stop trying to be all things to all people.

One of the biggest mistakes most entrepreneurs make is we don’t take the time to truly identify our ideal client.  We fall into the trap of being overly inclusive.  I mean the more the merrier, right?  Wrong.

Without a clear, concise picture of exactly the client we want, we can’t make the right decisions for our business.  So how do we find our ideal clients?

Be specific.

Ideal clients are the best-paying, most profitable and least painful.  They appreciate the value we bring to the table.  An ideal client reminds us why we started our business to begin with.

So go ahead – paint a picture in your head, get a visual of your perfect client.  The more specific you can be in describing your ideal client the better.

Get Ruthless.

Get rid of the clients you don’t want.  They suck up your time and keep you from finding and servicing the ideal clients you do want.  Be merciless.

So here is your task.  Go grab a pad of paper (or iPad).  Make a list of all your current clients.  Next to each one list the amount of time you spend with them, and the revenue you receive from them.  Who is giving you your greatest return?  Where’s the money?

Then take a look at those clients that fell to the bottom of the list.  Identify the traits that caused them to be less than profitable for you.  Then actively work them out of your business.

Stay the Course.

Once you have identified your ideal client, model all of your messaging, web copy, collateral material and branding toward that exact target.

Contrary to what people say, there is no silver bullet in marketing.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results immediately.  Like a fine wine, good marketing takes time.

Be Kind to Yourself.

Nobody ever does it perfectly the first time.  If every aspiring entrepreneur gave up at the first sign of resistance or failure, we would all be drafting our business plans on a stone tablet rather than an apple product.  Celebrate your failures as well as your triumphs.

Find more advice and commentary from members at Hera Hub’s blog.
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Felena is a long-time entrepreneur and marketing maven.  Her latest venture, Hera Hub, is a spa-inspired shared workspace for female entrepreneurs. This as-needed, flexible work and meeting space provides a productive environment for women who primarily work from home.  Hera Hub members have access to a professional space to meet with clients and to connect and collaborate with like-minded business owners, thus giving them the support they need to be prosperous.  Cost-effective monthly membership options are suited for freelancers, independent consultants, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and authors.

Hera Hub is much more than just a shared workspace; it’s a community of like-minded entrepreneurial women who find the additional resources, such as special classes, workshops, and one-on-one support essential for their business growth. The first San Diego location is conveniently located in Sorrento Valley.  By the end of 2012 Hera Hub will have additional locations in Mission Valley & Carlsbad.

Felena is passionate about education, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of San Diego and her MBA from California State University Dominguez Hills.  She taught Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and at California State University Dominguez Hills for the MBA online program for eight years. Felena was most recently rewarded for community efforts, as she was awarded the “Women Business Owner of the Year Award” by the local chapter of the National Organization of Women Business Owners.