Marketing · Lesson 2
Understanding your ideal customer
Marketing works when you know where your buyers are and what they worry about.
Sales defines who to sell to; marketing finds and attracts them. To do that, you need to understand how your ideal customers think: their goals, worries, the words they use, where they get information and who they trust.
The best source is talking to clients. Interview five recent clients for 20 minutes: 'What made you look for help? Where did you look? What almost stopped you choosing us? What would you tell a friend about us?' Note their exact words — they become your marketing language.
Then list the places your buyers gather: industry associations, specific events, LinkedIn groups, advisers who serve them (lawyers, bankers, quantity surveyors). Focus your effort on two or three of these places, consistently, rather than a little everywhere.
Example — Hypothetical: client interview insight
Four of five clients say they chose the firm because 'you explained the approval process clearly'. The firm now leads its website and talks with a simple guide to approvals — and enquiries rise.
Try this
Book two 20-minute calls with recent clients this month and ask the four questions above.
Reflect
Where do your ideal clients go for advice before they hire someone like you?