Focus is hard for everyone today when there are so many distractions and choices. The temptation for us all is to think we can work with everyone and anyone. In so doing, we dilute our own value and confuse everyone we attempt to approach. They do not know are the leader in their specific industry or with their peculiar problems.
Getting clear about who your ideal customer is carries a lot of weight in the marketplace. Your focus and conviction will come through as you engage in the sales process. Your message will resonate because you are establishing leadership with a select group of people that want to identify with the leader.
You will likely have a different brand and focus than we do at AscendWorks. Nonetheless, you can glean how to identify and target your ideal customer from some of our own clarity over the years as we established what we offer and who we work with.
The AscendWorks Ideal Customer
Our ideal customers that we have a highly fruitful and prosperous relationship with are fun to work with and the exchange in value is rewarding for everyone. Here are some of the things we look for in a working relationship:
- Entrepreneurs and business owners. We like people that can make decisions quickly and decisively. It allows us to perform our best in the fast cycles we are accustomed to working within.
- High priced services and products. If our customer sells something for $50, then a lot of one product has to be sold for a return on investment. If they sell something for $5,000 then we can develop the relationship from content systems and nurturing that will create a ready buyer. The ROI is easier to attain. We are in the trust-building business.
- Want to be the thought leader. The customers we work with become the thought leaders. When people search for information in their industry, they find our customer. Our ideal customers know this is important to build trust and become the established and reputable source for information leading to a sale.
- Value Substance Over Gimmicks. Our best customers avoid the temptation to try and cheat Google or stuff meaningless chatter into social media channels. They are patient and want to have a durable asset that works 24/7 for them over time with each new content piece and strategy that is put in place. This mindset helps them to win over the long term as they invest in real assets for their business that do not jeopardize their future. Remarkable content, page rankings with Google and their domain and email reputation are important to them.
- Sees AscendWorks As A Strategic Partner. We tell our clients that we are an extension of their team. For less than the price of a secretary, they get a team of talented people that execute and get their content distributed and connecting with their audience. If they see us as a vendor or we are merely an accessory, then we do not have an aligned vision and it likely will not work out. Partnership means collaboration and trying to win together by building systems that last.
- Invests in their business. If a prospective customer has a mindset that they can spend very little and work very little to get a customer, then they are not our customer. We know that competition and the amount of noise out there clouds people’s ability to engage deeply with any brand. You have to stand out. Our best clients invest in systems that will produce a referral engine over time. They have to be willing to hire us like an employee that brings immense value on their team.
Your Ideal Customer
Your market is different. Ours has been understood and defined over years of working intimately with both ideal and frustrating customers. Having a clear definition of our ideal customer helps us to avoid wasting cycles in our sales process and be in relevant conversations with people that matter.
Your list may be far different. You can use our checklist as a guide.
What would be your ideal customer?
