Four Steps to Targeting Your Ideal Client: The Second Pillar of Business Copy with My In-House Copywriter
For the past month, I’ve been sharing my favorite insights on how to write about business.
“Business writing,” “copywriting,” and “marketing” all sound so formal. But when it comes down to it, if you own a business, a side-hustle, or a hobby you’re hoping to monetize, you need to be sharing about that business.
That means you’re going to need to write about what you do.
Which is why I’ve asked Zimmerman’s own copywriter Rachel to share how to connect with people about your work so you can make money and impact doing what you love.
As Rachel explains in our previous post, there are three essential pillars of business copy.
In the last post, we focused on how to communicate who you are. People buy from people, so it’s essential to share not just about your unique business identity, but who you are as well.
Today, Rachel’s going to share tips for how to accomplish the second pillar of business copy…
Communicating who your ideal client is.
Now, I’m going to hand it over to Rachel who will explain how to identify your ideal client and target them with how you write about your business.
Hey, everyone! Welcome back to this little copy class!
Just as Jess explained, when you write about your business, the two most important things you can do are to communicate who you are and who your ideal client is.
Spend five minutes on Pinterest, and you’ll have enough content on “ideal client avatars” to scroll to your heart’s content.
Simplifying the “Ideal Client” Idea
In reality, the concept of an “ideal client” is simple. In essence, your product or service is for some people, and not for some other people.
If you make small-batch dog treats, then your client is someone who either:
A. Is a dog
B. Has a dog
C. Has a store that sells dog stuff
It’s that simple. Seeing as dog’s done have great purchasing power, your’e going to want to focus on the second two.
This applies to any business. Do you offer wedding floral design? Then you want to focus on people who are either getting married or paying for other people (aka their children) to get married.
The more specific you are about your ideal client, the more seen, known, heard, and served your clients will feel.
What do I mean?
Why Identifying the “Ideal Client” Matters
There’s this restaurant about an hour away from where I live in Central Virginia. It’s just far enough away that I can’t go super frequently, and just close enough that it’s the perfect special date spot. Anniversaries, birthdays, celebrating a new baby or a new house. It’s just our special spot.
The food is literally the best food I’ve ever had in America, and the ambiance is relaxed enough that I don’t have to get out of jeans if I don’t want to, but romantic enough that tea lights and special craft beverages don’t feel out of place.
When I walk into this restaurant, I feel like I’m home. They’re speaking my language.
That place is for me.
This also means that there’s a lot of people this restaurant isn’t for.
Think of any brands that have huge cult followings.
Glossier. Yeezy. Bravo TV.
These brands have huge fan bases and loyal customers because they’re specific about their ideal clients.
If you’re trying to speak to everyone, you’re reaching no-one.
Here are some tips for how to speak to your specific ideal client.
Build a Story
On a piece of real, physical paper, brainstorm about your ideal client. Where does he work? Where does she shop? What does their house look like? What’s her #1 never-skip song on Spotify? If there was a Netflix show about her life, what actress would play her? What’s his favorite Starbucks drink?
When you write website copy or an Instagram caption, keep these things in mind. Don’t be afraid to be too specific. There is almost never a downside to specificity.
Ask for Input.
Do you have a former client, family member, or friend who resembles your ideal client? See if you can ask them some questions! Offer to Venmo them $5 for their favorite seasonal drink if you can run some ideas by them on a Facetime call.
Have them read your “services” website page or Pinterest pin description and ask it it would catch their eye if they saw it in the wild. Would they feel like you were talking right to them?
The best way to find out is to ask!
Share testimonials.
Okay, this is the hack of a lifetime and takes the least amount of effort. Make sure you ask for reviews on your product or service! This is baaaaasically like letting your current ideal clients convince your future ideal clients that you’re who they should work with.
“Well, I haven’t worked with anyone yet! How can I get testimonials?” you might ask.
Jess would tell you to get creative! Do a photoshoot and ask the photographer or planner to write a review for you. Give out some free samples or do a giveaway in exchange for a review!
Did you plan a baby shower for your cousin and now you want to be a wedding planner? Get your cousin to write a review about your perfectly-executed hors devours and interactive games.
It’s the most powerful copy, and you don’t even have to write it yourself.
Listen and Reflect.
Say you implement some of these tools and over time, you find that the clients seeking you out aren’t your ideal clients.
Their budgets are smaller than you’d like, or they aren’t trusting your process so they’re constantly sending you emails, or they’re asking for more information but then they ghost you.
Welp, then it’s time to listen and reflect! Something about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it isn’t connecting.
Before you get too discouraged, this is a great thing! All feedback is helpful if you allow it to be.
Just like Thomas Edison and his hundreds of failed attempts at creating the lightbulb, you’ve just succeeded in finding one way to not connect with your ideal client.
Now it’s time to take the evidence in front of you and use it to adjust your messaging.
The good news is, every day you have a new chance to connect with your future clients, whether it’s through a Pinterest pin, a blog post, an Instagram post, or an edit to your website!
Start small and connect.
And stay tuned for the third pillar of business copywriting, coming in two weeks!