The interview goes both ways: The benefits of seeking your ideal clients

When Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) first opened in 1971, their target market was rock climbers and mountaineers. Though their target market, over 40 years, expanded to include cyclers, hikers, kayakers, and others, MEC’s success has been the result of consistently taking the time to identify and communicate with their ideal shopper: someone who cares about the benefits of a co-op, appreciates an active lifestyle and well-designed equipment that enhances their experience.

An ideal client profile is a description of the type of person you would like to do business with every day. You might already be serving a couple of your ideal clients, or you might be striving to increase the number in your database. If you are spending 90% of your time managing 10% of your clients, reconsider your ideal client profile and where you concentrate your marketing communications.

In both B2B and B2C, identifying ideal clients in your target market can be beneficial:

There is greater chance to create longer-term client relationships. Work will be more fun: you will spend more time with people who share some of the same qualities as your friends. Your clients will be happier: you will know how to answer their needs and wants better because you can relate. You attract more profitable, referral generating customers. You work on your strengths, instead of fighting to get people to value what you do.

Ideal client profiles can be dynamic, depending on changing market needs, but if you always know the characteristics of your ideal client, you will likely be successful in serving your ideal client. (These questionnaires are only a starting point for your business’ own personalized client profile.)

B2B Ideal client profile questionnaire:

• Is your contact a decision maker?
• How does your ideal client communicate? Will you have daily communication? Weekly meetings? 
• Do your processes align with those of the company you are working with? For example, what are the project turn-around time expectations?
• What size of company aligns with your capacity and capability? For example, if you are technical support company, do you have capacity to serve a company of 200, or is your niche market a 10-15 person company, or smaller?
• What does your ideal client value? Are shareholder relations and transparency a priority? Does the client see the value in marketing and spending time and money on well-thought out marketing strategy and execution? Is the client open to new technologies?  Are they positioned to become industry leaders?
• What is the time frame in which they expect to see ROI on the work you do for them? 
• Is corporate culture a priority for your ideal client? How do they follow through?
• Will the client agree with your fee structure and be able to pay you on time?

B2B Ideal client profile questionnaire:

• How do your customers find you? Yellow pages? Twitter or Facebook? Google?
• Is the client a potential champion for your business? 
• What does your ideal client read? 
• What do they value?
• Where do they shop? 
• Where do they like to hang out?
• What are they passionate about?

Answering the questions above will help you to answer where you should concentrate your marketing communications. Also, knowing yourself and your business are key to knowing who you want to work with. Be an observant client. Take note of what you like and don’t like about the services and products you receive from other companies. Examine your friends and the people who frequent your social circle. Describe them and find clients who have the same qualities.

The reality is, not every client in your business database is going to fit your ideal client profile. Also, not every business, freelancer, or contractor has the freedom to be picky about the work that comes their way. However, over time, ideal clients can form the foundation of your business and lead to doing more work with people you ultimately enjoy spending time with MEC was not successful because their marketing message reached everybody; it built itself a niche market by speaking to ideal clients. It pays to be choosy about who gets your time and attention.