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Service Business Owners: Take A Risk And Create An Ideal Client

Article:

Do you know who your ideal client is? Most business owners don't

really know. They guess!

And because they guess, they're working way to hard, marketing

too much, spending too much money. I know I've been there, done

that.

Now, my bottom line definition of an ideal client would include

a client who:

--Easily pays you top dollar, and on time, for your services.

--Comes to you already understanding what you services can help

them accomplish.

--Refers you to others without you even asking.

--Comes back for more of your services, whenever they're ready

for another "shot" of what you offer.

--Gives you "energy" - emotionally and financially!

I made two big mistakes when I started my business. I didn't

create two of the most important "business keys" upfront - a

business plan and an ideal client profile. The result? Well,I

ended up broke, used the money from the sale of my home to live.

Of course, since then, I've made some hefty changes!

One of those changes was getting over my "fear" about narrowing

my client base. You see, I thought that if I created such a

small base to get clients, I'd be broke and bored - a place I

found myself in anyway, because I was doing thing "my way".

Here's what I learned: Niching does not mean that I can't accept

clients outside my niche. Niching is done to make MY life - and

YOUR life - easier. It's another one of those business tools

that is created to help save money and time. For marketing

purposes, for the sake of clarity, for a business owner's health

and well being, so you're not all over the place "chasing"

marketing - spending dollar after dollar after dollar. Heck,

isn't there more than enough "stuff" for us to do as business

owners?

I remember the first time I went into a networking meeting and

introduced myself simply as a "Business Consultant and Coach"

who helped "women who own service business and service

professionals." I left the "life" off in front of "Coach." I

left the word "career" out of the sentence about who I helped.

I was so nervous! And what happened? Well, I survived the

meeting, obviously. And, after the meeting, someone asked if I

could coach their husband who was in transition between CAREERS!

Boy, did that teach me a valuable lesson. If you are clear and

confident (or seem that way) people will provide you with

wonderful business opportunities that you can say yes to... or

no to.

Do I ever go out of my niche for meetings or to speak? Yes,

although rarely these days. There are 5 or 6 life topics that I

speak on - usually at recovery conferences or for stressed out

business owners who are just tired of the same old speakers

speaking about business :)

Even after you define your niche, that doesn't mean that you

can't choose to take on clients outside that niche - if that's

what you want to do.

And even after you choose a niche, that doesn't mean that you

can't change it. I did just this year. I'm big on monitoring my

efforts and I noticed that 40% of my best - ideal clients -

clients are men, while 60% are women. That's a big change over 2

years ago, when most of my clients were women. So I decided to

"drop" the women service business part of my niche. And that

allows me to change who I market to; for example, I no longer

look for organizations that have the word "women" in their name.

I'm actually more interested in knowing how many business owners

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are in their membership who have been in business at least 2

years.

What else happens when you niche and really monitor your

business? You have time to start notice patterns in what your

clients are doing. Here's two examples I've noticed recently: 1)

95% of my new clients want to create multiple streams of

business income from their knowledge and expertise - ebooks,

CDs, audios, etc., 2) All the solo-preneurs who hire me are

ready to hire consultants or employees. Now, what am I going to

do with that information? Use it in the way I market. Use it to

create programs that will attract my niche.

Niching is also about knowing what makes you special - or what's

known as your USP - unique selling proposition. Knowing what

makes me special in the large world of business consulting,

coaching and training, has led folks to know me as "that NY

Coach" (I currently live in Washington State, so my accent and

attitude stick out just a teensy bit). I've taken another part

of what I'm known for - as the person service business go to for

resources and to get organized by creating systems and plans -

and become The Resource Queen. I'm known as the business

consultant who can speak "geek" but does it in plain English.

Heck, to be remembered - for some wonderful worthwhile things -

that's part of what counts!

So.... take a risk - and niche!

About the author:

©2005 Maria Marsala, former Wall Street Trader. We help women

CEOs and Presidents run more effective and efficient businesses

while positioning themselves to achieve financial/personal

success. Join "SIMPLE Solutions Ezine" to receive an audio and 2

reports. http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com