The biggest challenge that businesses of all kinds face is having a steady flow of leads that become clients.
According to the Small Business Administration, 42% of businesses fail because of lack of demand, aka they do not have enough clients or customers.
But that doesn’t have to be the case.
In this article, I share the 7-step process to getting more ideal clients for your business online.
These steps will work whether you’re a:
- Life coach looking for clients
- Bookkeeper looking for clients
- Photographer looking for clients
- or a Real Estate Agent looking for clients
Now, If you had an offline business/in-person service business it was a matter of getting the word out about your business. You may have even had built-in clients who, the moment your shop opened, came through the door!
But there are limitations to this… You’re limited to the demographics and psychographics of the people in your area. That means you’re limited on the prices and offerings because you need to cater to the income levels around you.
Here’s the thing… online… you don’t really have to worry about that! Most people use the internet looking for specific products or services. They are looking for what they can afford and they aren’t as limited by their resources as the people in your neighborhood.
Now… don’t get me wrong.
I’m not saying you can’t service the neighborhood people but wouldn’t it be nice to attract a higher level of clientele than what’s surrounding your shop? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to work with so many people to make ends meet? Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could truly spend your time operating in your zone of genius with time & space to create? That’s what having a higher level of clientele will allow you to do and from there you could give back to the community through special scholarships or programs! Win-Win-Win!! Ok… so how do you do it? How do you attract your ideal clients?
First, let’s start with WHY it’s important to attract your ideal clients.
There are 3 reasons why it’s important to attract your ideal clients. Those reasons are:
- they allow you to work in your zone of genius,
- they value your product or service,
- and they fuel your business by spreading the word about your products or services with their friends.
Imagine working in your zone of genius with people who appreciate what you have to offer.
Next, let’s talk about what goes into attracting your ideal clients
Well there are 7 steps to attracting your ideal clients online
Step 1: Start with why
Why do you want to attract these people to your business? Answering this question will help you focus and narrow down. When you can articulate what your ideal clients will gain from working with you it’ll energize you to keep going. This is especially important when you are working through the interview process as well as getting in front of them at the right time!
Step 2: Create a perfect imaginary client
This is meant to help you see what you’re truly looking for in an ideal client. This covers demographics, psychographics, and more. Doing this helps you narrow down the focus when looking for actual people who fulfill this! If you just say a woman… well there are approximately 4 billion women on the planet. Are all of them your ideal client? I don’t think so. So doing this process will help you narrow it down. This doesn’t mean you don’t work with other people. This simply helps you tailor your message in order to reach them because when you market to “everyone” you’re marketing to no one.
Step 3: Interview people
When it comes to interviewing people, it’s that they meet your avatar about 80% with the 80% being the NON-NEGOTIABLES. These people have to have the traits or backgrounds that you find highly desirable to work with. This is your business you get to decide. If you feel any blocks to this there might be a mindset issue. Check out this article on mindset and success.
Also…
side note: You might be wondering how the heck you’re gonna schedule all these calls especially if you already have your business. Well, you’re going to make time to do them and use a scheduling tool like Acuity Scheduling to schedule your calls at a time that works for you! I love Acuity! I can practically run my coaching business from it. They have quite robust plans as well. Check it out here: Acuity Scheduling
Step 4: Compile the data
There’s a lot of information you collected in the data from your market research calls and hopefully, you were able to record them. From the recordings sift through the data and extract recurring themes that will become ideas for a blog post, podcast episodes, and videos. You also want to know where they get their information so you’re able to apply to get interviewed or featured in those places! My SEO coach calls these the Dream 100 people that have an influence on your ideal clients. I conduct all of my calls using Zoom Web Conferencing and they have quite a robust free option! Check it out here: Zoom
Step 5: Create a Lead Magnet (FREEBIE/ Ethical Bribe)
This is important! Building your email list is important but an overlooked aspect is making sure it’s with the right people who are more likely to be your ideal clients. In order to do this, you need a lead magnet that helps them solve a pressing problem and illuminates the bigger problem. This is what you’ll offer to the people who are your ideal clients based on your research. You’ll begin attracting people who want the specific problem they have and you’ll be able to solve it for them and make them aware of a new, bigger problem that they will need your help for! Score! This is how you make sure that they are the right people!
Step 6: Get visible and Promote
This important! If you conducted steps 3 and 4 then you have the information you need to get in front of the right people in other people’s audiences! You can also create content to get in front of the right people as well. Get the 101 Blog Post Ideas that get you found in search here. This will show you off to be the thought leader you are as well as get your business out in front of your ideal clients for free.99!
If you are struggling with getting out there and getting visible there might be something up! I wrote this article just for you!!
Step 7: Offer your initial and core offer
Based on steps 3-4 you know what your people are struggling with and can provide them with a solution! Ask me how I know? Because my people were struggling with finding their ideal clients and viola! Here we are with a post all about it! This is something you can do and it’ll lead to them downloading your freebie as well! This will eventually lead them to your services if positioned correctly!
Alright so to recap there are 7 steps to finding your ideal clients online.
Those steps are:
- Start with why
- Create an imaginary ideal client so that you can get clear on what’s important to you
- Interview people who are 80% match focusing on the non-negotiables
- Compile the data into a spreadsheet and analyze recurring themes so you can create content your ideal clients will be looking for
- Create a freebie/lead magnet that solves a pressing challenge so they make
- Get visible & promote your lead magnet via your audience and others as well
- Share your initial & core offer so your ideal clients start seeing the changes and sharing them with their friends.
Now that you’ve got the keys to getting ideal clients for your business online now it’s all about converting them once they are on your email list.
That’s where your Welcome email sequence comes in! Click here to get the welcome sequence workbook!
