How many times have you encountered clients who are gung-ho about your coaching program and all the opportunities that lie ahead, only to discover midway through their sessions that they have lost their motivation. They’re not doing the homework, they’re late for coaching calls, they’re late paying your invoice, they keep asking for discounts, or you just feel like the nagging mom trying to get them to do the necessary work.
Your job as a coach is NOT to hand hold your clients. Your ideal client should be motivated to make changes. They should be proven self-starters so that when a slump comes their way, they aren’t making excuses to switch their coaching days or coming up with reasons why their assigned homework isn’t complete. Your ideal client should also not nickel-and-dime you to death over your coaching prices.
This isn’t kindergarten. If any of your clients pull these excuses, it’s time to redefine your dream client. It’s time to turn cheap-o or uncommitted clients into a thing of the past and start repositioning your business to attract clients who are playing at a higher level–and thrilled to pay premium prices.
Before we get into creating your Ideal Client Avatar (ICA), start off by defining what type of coaching you provide. This is the easy part! Don’t just say you’re “a coach” and expect millions of people to clamor for your advice. Use an identifier, such as business, financial, or health coach, just as examples.
Next, identify the problem you solve for your ideal clients. Drill down to identify your superpower. Are you a business coach who teaches small businesses modern sales strategies? Or are you a mindset coach who helps you eliminate money roadblocks? Or are you a financial business coach who helps set up your backend invoicing processes?
These statements don’t need to be longer than a sentence. Edit your statements down until extraneous words are gone and your statement is accurate.
In this next exercise, you’re going to create your dream client profile. I know, you’ve done this bunches of times, right? Well, this time we’re going to dig deeper. If you want to attract those high-end clients, you need to truly understand their goals, how they think, and how to speak to them.
Fill in her demographics – who is this Ideal Client?
- Age
- Marital status
- Education level
- Income level
- Geographic location
- Occupation + for how long
- Does she have children?
Demographics are necessary to whittle down and pre-qualify your prospect list. If you’re looking to attract 6-7 figure income earners, you’ll know that Susie Newbie who’s been in business for a year and barely earning $50k is NOT your ideal client.
The next step is to look into psychographics – the psychological reasons people buy. Very rarely do people spend money without fully researching their options. If you can understand this psychology for your Ideal Client, then you can tailor your website copy to say, “Hey! I know this is what you want and I can help you achieve it.” That confidence will catch your Ideal Client’s attention.
Figure out the following psychographics for your Ideal Client:
- Goals and values
- Concerns
- Lifestyle, interests & hobbies
- Pain points & struggles
Do you feel that your Ideal Client profile is becoming more real? Can you form a mental picture of this person and how you can start to help her? Now, try putting yourself in her shoes and answer the following questions:
- What is keeping her up at night?
- What is nagging her?
- How does she want to feel?
- What would happen to her if she doesn’t find you?
Lastly, research information sources to determine where your Ideal Clients hang out online. Knowing which platforms they use consistently will help you fine tune your marketing and advertising efforts.
Information sources include:
- Web analytics software to track their online path
- Questionnaires or surveys
- Look at the individual demographics of each social media platform
Since you want to attract the higher-end client, you’ll need to pay special attention to the psychographics. A seven-figure income earner is going to use different platforms and have different pain points than someone who’s just starting their business. Really dig deep and get to know this person better than she knows herself. She is depending on YOU to tell her what she needs to solve her struggles, some of which she may not even be aware of.
Exercise: Dreamy Client Profile
Spend time answering these profile questions on the next page to really flesh out your Ideal Client Avatar. Keep this as a living document that is constantly updated as people’s habits, needs, and psychographics change.
The acronym ICA = Ideal Client Avatar
