How Well Do You Know Your Ideal Client?
Leticia Francis 
Understanding your ideal client is the core of your coaching business
We’ve all done the exercise. It’s the first thing you’re taught when you first start your business:
Create an ideal client avatar.
This vision of your ideal client guides everything you do, including pricing (you can’t charge that single mom as much as you can the CEO of a Fortune 500 company), pain points (mom probably isn’t worried about shareholders), and even the color of your logo.
So you spend a few hours considering things such as:
- Age group
- Income
- Family status
- Education
- Lifestyle goals
- Location
Maybe you even write up a nice little story about your ideal client. You give her a name, a couple of kids, a husband who just doesn’t get it, and a load of student loans. You know quite a bit about her, you think.
But you would be wrong, and if you stop there, you may be missing a huge piece of the puzzle—and losing out on the best clients because of it.
Personality Mismatch
Here’s something that’s rarely considered in the “ideal client” equation, and it’s arguably the most important part: personality.
If you’re snarky, sarcastic, fun-loving and loud, then a quiet, middle-aged mom who spends her time volunteering at the church is probably not a good fit for you. Sure, she might need your help, and she might love your products, but for one-on-one coaching, this match-up is a disaster. Either she will be uncomfortable with your style, or you’ll be miserable trying to reign in your natural exuberance.
Better to pass mom on to a coach who is a better fit for her personality wise.
Drive Determines Success
This one can be difficult to calculate from the start, but once you recognize it (or the lack thereof) it’s worth paying attention to. The client without the drive to succeed will—more often than not—only end up frustrating you both.
Better to end your relationship as soon as you see the signs of this than to waste your time going over the same material and exercises again and again with someone who simply won’t do the work.
If you look at your current and past coaching clients, you’ll begin to see patterns. You can easily look back and see what made some clients a joy to work with, while others were a struggle. Think about what those differences are, and add them to your ideal client profile. Then compare any new potential clients to this ideal profile, and you’ll never again sign on with a less-than-perfect client.
Categories: : All You Need To Know, The Market Research Process
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Hello, Hello, Hello Lovely! I'm Leticia
Hey there, I'm Leticia THE Market Research Strategist for coaches and consultants with a data-driven background in analytics. That's why I call myself the “data diva”.
I'm not your average strategist, Lovely. I've spent years working for a top 5 Lloyds of London Insurance Syndicate, strategically positioning them for success. And I'm here to help you do the same.
I get it, you hired a coach before and they gave you vague advice about ideal client demographics. But let's be real, that's not enough. You need a practical and actionable plan to see the results you deserve.
And that's exactly what I'm here to teach you.
I've created The Market Research Mastery Method using my 13 years of data analytics experience that's helped me sell out my programs every single time - even ones I haven't gone public with!
But I'm not keeping this to myself, oh no. I'm on a mission to help female coaches and consultants take their businesses to the next level.
The struggle is real, Lovely. You're feeling burnt out, frustrated, and like you're spinning your wheels. But fear not, I'm here to help you position yourself for profitability and long-term success.
Let's get you the clarity you need to thrive in this competitive market. And don't forget, those multibillion-dollar companies didn't get where they are by chance. They did their research first.
Are you ready to join me on this journey?
Let's do this, Lovely!
