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My mantra is this: If your work doesn’t bring joy into your life, then it’s time to re-evaluate – we’re all at different stages of our business journey. Many of you reading this are just starting out; some have learned a few lessons the hard way already, and that’s okay! I’m here to help you figure out exactly what it is you want to be doing and how to get there. A massive part of this is understanding your purpose and what you love about what you do and also knowing who it is you love doing it for. Easier said than done, right? Just a bit. For the purpose of this blog, I’m focusing on the relationship you have with your clients and how finding the ideal client is the key to running a fulfilling and successful business.

Let’s start by asking some key questions….

What are you in business for? (Some people call this their why).

Purpose, according to an article by Forbes, is the ‘ultimate differentiator in business’. Getting super-clear on your own values and purpose will, in turn, define your ideal clients, because we all want to work with people who share our values, am I right?

So, who would you like to work with?

Be honest with yourself here and be picky! Who do YOU want to work with? Maybe it’s a certain person or type of person with a clear mission that aligns with what you believe in; maybe it’s a certain type of company or organization doing some good in their corner of the world—whatever it may be, take some time to think about why this person or organization is a good fit for your business and match up your values to show the alignment.

Do your ideal clients resonate with you?

When we look deeper into this connection, we start to talk about how a client resonates with us. Can you project what changes would happen if they had access to what you’re offering? How could their lives improve because of it? Would their world look different when they have what they need from your product or service? These are the deeper, more important questions that will help inform the kind of clients you choose to connect with.

By connecting with and engaging with your ideal client you’re more likely to be enthused and excited about the work you’re doing. And if you’re not excited about the work you’re doing, who’s going to be? Your clients are going to pick up on that. It’s a vicious circle.

Loving what you do

When I first left the corporate world, I was trying be everything to everyone. I needed clients! I wanted to help and get along with everyone, but to be honest, I didn’t love all of the work. It was a sure-fire way for me to burn out fast and lose my love for the job in the process.

I learned quickly that you can’t please everyone all of the time and decided that I needed to focus on finding clients and work that resonated with me and lit me up inside.

Tips to help you find your ideal client

So how do we do this? The first step to finding the right client is to ask yourself: “What do I want my ideal client to look like?” Commit this to paper and write down everything that comes to mind.

Here are some examples:

I want my ideal client to be highly self-motivated and self-reliant.

I want my ideal client to be ready for change and willing to try different ideas.

I want my ideal client to be someone who values my advice and expertise but also does their own research before making decisions.

Once you have your list written down, take some time to go through it and ask yourself which prospective clients already in your network might have these qualities. Reach out to them and show them that you are on the same page. Show support for their campaigns or offer advice if you have experience in one of their projects.

You can use the results of this exercise as a blueprint for your ideal customer, and start to adjust your messaging so it speaks directly to them. Find out more about getting visible online here.

But what do you do if you’re already working with someone and it’s not a good fit?

When you work with the wrong clients, it can turn into a nightmare. You are a small business owner and you need to make money, but working with the wrong client will deplete your time and energy, so be careful!

My main tip here – be assertive when needed and walk away if it is not a good fit for you. Also:

• Set clear expectations and boundaries with new clients so there isn’t any confusion about what’s expected from both sides of the relationship.
• Be honest with yourself about how much time you have available to dedicate to projects or clients, and be honest with others about what they can expect from your services. Be upfront about deadlines so they don’t expect more than what you are able to deliver.
• Understand that not everyone will be happy with every piece of work you provide them, but if they’re not happy, learn from it and move on instead of dwelling on bad experiences.

My main takeaway for you is that it’s worth investing the time to think carefully about your values and why your work is important. Then connect with people who share those values and see the importance of that work. Your ideal clients might be closer than you think!

If you need some extra help working on your vision, values or the direction of your business I am here to help. Book in an operations strategy session with me now and let’s get the ball rolling for you.