Your ideal client: the missing domino

Where do you start identifying and learning more about your ideal client? Here are three steps to help you be more focused in your marketing and sales.

Do you know who your ideal client is? Could you describe them to me?
If you are struggling, you're not alone.

Our quiz, taken by over 200 people from more than 30 countries, revealed that only 28% know who their ideal client is.

Why is this a problem?

Without a clear idea of your ideal client, your marketing and sales efforts become scattered. It's like casting a wide net but catching very little. When you don't know who you're talking to, your message becomes too general, and it doesn't resonate. People can't see themselves in what you're offering.

You also might not know where you should look for them, so you look everywhere. This can feel exhausting and frustrating after some time.

But I get it.

Narrowing down your ideal client can feel like you're missing out on other opportunities. The fear of pigeonholing yourself is real. However, the opposite is true.

Having a specific target makes everything easier. You can create a list of potential clients and figure out how to reach them. You can also tailor your offerings to speak to their specific needs, making your communication much more effective.

It also becomes easy for others to make introductions or refer you when you can clearly describe who you would like to get in contact with.

So, where do you start?

1. Look at what you have:

• Who are your current clients?

• Which projects have you enjoyed the most?

• What do these clients have in common? What are their shared pains and goals?

Note: If you don’t have clients yet, start by making a guesstimate of who your potential clients could be.

2. Make a first draft of your ideal client profile:

Feel free to choose and add even more to it:

My Ideal Client

Type of company:
Sector:
Size of company:
Buyer profile (Who has the money/makes the decision):
Job title & role:
Geography:
Budget:
Level of maturity on a certain topic:
Business model:
Specific pains/problems:
Other criteria:

Note: If you’re struggling with narrowing it down to one, create a maximum of three distinct profiles.

3. Create a few experiments to gather more information:

You might lack some information and not feel confident that this is the right client to focus on. If that is the case, design small experiments to collect more data and gain more clarity.

To define the experiments, start with the following questions:

• I believe my ideal client is description of the client and their needs.

• The best way to learn and connect with them is where can you find them and get in contact with them.
  e.g., specific events, communities, introductions through friends, etc.

• To test this, I will...what you are going to do
  e.g. conduct short interviews, run a survey, post a number of LinkedIn posts.

• And measure... what information/data are you going to collect,
  e.g., general insights into their needs & priorities, level of interest in a particular offering.

• I’m right if: What will give you the confidence to focus on this target group and continue with your efforts?
  e.g., at least 50% express an explicit need for something you can satisfy with your offering.

This is not an exact science but an invitation to think more intentionally about your actions and provide focus and structure.

Defining your ideal client is an ongoing process as you evolve in your journey, but it is the domino stone that has a knock-on effect on everything that follows. Your offering, your marketing, your sales. So, getting clear about which domino you want to switch is key.

---

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start building, join Seed. In 6 months, you’ll follow a repeatable process to design, test, and refine your offer—so you can attract the right clients while saving months of trial and error.

With guided support and ready-to-use templates, you’ll move from stuck to launched with confidence.

We have a few seats left for our next cohort, including two reduced-rate spots for BIPOC individuals from the Global South. Apply now to secure your spot before they’re gone.

---

Interesting opportunities for you

We comb through numerous job boards to find freelance opportunities, saving our members hours of time. Here is a selection of 10 opportunities for this week.

Web and Data Solutions Specialist - One Earth Sangha
📍Remote
💰$35 - $42 / hour
🤝Contract
⏰June 14, 2024

Product Manager - Stone Soup Leadership Institute
📍Remote
💰$50 to $75 per hour
🤝Contract
⏰May 30, 2024

Client Support Specialist (LATAM) - Deel
📍Remote
🤝Contract

Research Consultant - UN Women
📍Remote
🤝Part-time
⏰May 30, 2024

Research Associate - ECPAT International
📍Remote
🤝Contract
⏰June 2, 2024

Fundraising Campaign Manager - NAMLE
📍Remote
💰$55,000-$60,000
🤝Part-time

TFGBV Prevention and Response Curriculum Consultant- IREX
📍Remote
🤝Part-time

Tech Policy Fellowship - Tech Global Institute
📍Remote
🤝Contract
⏰June 20, 2024

Craft CMS developer - William Joseph
📍Remote
💰£400–£450 / day 
🤝Part-time
⏰June 4, 2024

Campaign database manager - SteelWatch
📍Remote
🤝Contract

Found something interesting for a friend. Share the newsletter with them.

---

Behind the Scenes at IMMA:

• We had another great Clarity Session, this time getting insights and feedback on Lead Magnets. Next up: proposals.

• At our last Impactful Connections event, we had 40 impact makers from around the world. It’s great to hear how many of you have continued fostering the connections you made there. The next event is on June 12th, so join us for free if you want to expand your network.
  

  

• I’m coming to Amsterdam from May 31st to June 6th. It’s a last-minute trip, but if you want to meet up, let me know. I’m getting a few people from IMMA together. (Just reply to this email).

Thanks for reading,
Take care,
Lilli

_______

Whenever you want to stop working by yourself and want to build your purpose-driven solo business together, consider joining IMMA Collective. Join us