Do you know that “Sunday Scaries” feeling? I’m guessing you might be familiar with it from your days in the corporate or 9-5 world. It’s that feeling on Sunday night that you have to go back to your office and your desk and your boss… UGH! I was thinking the other day how I do not miss that feeling at all now that I can control my own destiny with my own company.
But what happens if you’re feeling the pinch to find clients (and, by extension, money) to support your business? Maybe you don’t feel confident attracting clients or you’re unsure of where to start. Whatever is happening, client-wise, perhaps it’s making that “Sunday Scaries” feeling creep back in?
Girl, I got you! I’ve identified three basic (and I mean, super-simple) concepts that will help you take action to find and attract your ideal clients today.
1 | Focus What You Do
If we’ve ever had a conversation in person, you’ve heard me exclaim the “I work with everyone!!” phrase in a tone as sarcastic as I can muster, complete with wild arm gestures and eye rolls.
When I ask clients during our first conversation who their ideal client is, 9 times out of 10, they can’t answer the question.
That’s not because they don’t know. It’s because they’re scared. They don’t like the feeling that they’re excluding people. They love everyone. They are afraid to be polarizing.
So, their answer generally sounds something like this:
“Well, I work with women, but I can work with men, too. And usually my clients have a business, but of course, they might not, they might just have an idea, and that’s ok because I can help them, too. I know I’m supposed to narrow in, but honestly, I can help so many people that I just don’t want to exclude anyone.”
They generally say that so fast that it sounds like they are giving the side effects at the end of a Zyrtec commercial.
I don’t care if you sell candles, websites, craft cocktails, or the best damn time management experience on the planet. You do not work with everyone. At least I hope you don’t. Because, to paraphrase Marie Forleo,
“When you work with everyone, you work with no one.”
When you lack clarity on who you work with, you are most likely also lacking money. So, this shift will not only help you address what kind of client you do work with so you can attract them more easily, but also help you to consistently start meeting your money goals.
Success Tip: Marketing with clarity means you understand exactly who you’re talking to.
Action Step:
Identify a simple way to position yourself.
Yes, the fancy Ideal Client Avatars and going through wording and naming exercises will help you dial in on the words you can use in your marketing to call these ideal clients in. But today, we’re just talking about a simple positioning shift.
Ask yourself:
- Who can you truly help get results?
- Who do you work with most effectively?
- Which clients have been the most rewarding to work with?
- What struggle did they come to you to help them with?
Find the common threads between your answers and put that into a sentence: I help [client type] do [what you do with them].
Focus. Clarity. Ahh!
2 | Talk About It (With Ease)
You have a business. Do you freely share with people you meet, when appropriate, that you have a business? I bet you’re saying no.
You’re saying no because it’s: “Kinda, sorta complicated and a little hard to tell person X because they really just don’t understand this whole online business thing and what I do is difficult to explain.” Mix that with the lack of clarity and focus on who you work with and you’re back to the Zyrtec commercial.
But when you claim who you’re working with and what you do for them (ie: actually going back to answer the questions and find the commonalities in the step above!), you can talk to your ideal clients with ease and be confident in speaking with anyone who asks what you do.
Action Step:
Figure out the simplest, easiest way to explain what you do to an elderly person who barely knows what the internet is. Or try to explain what you do to a 5 year old. Either way, the goal here is to help them understand what you spend your life doing.
In marketing terms, this is messaging.
If you can do this, you can tell anyone what you do, either in speaking or writing. And you should. Even if they’re not your ideal client (see above), sharing your positioning with them is great practice, preparing you for when that person is an ideal client.
Success Tip: Clarity = Clients
3 | Reach Out to Right-Fit Clients
We’re rounding third here because this is the part where you’re going to go all the way. You’re going to put the above two steps together and do some talking!
(This is the part where you’re probably going to want to stop reading. Because I’m asking you to put yourself out there. Here’s the thing: If you stop reading, you will fail. So, stick with me!)
When we hit a plateau in our business, we’re usually looking for a flashy, sexy, instant answer to how to get more clients.
There are always new strategies and techniques to explore, but when you’re clear on who you’re looking for and you know how to talk with them (positioning + messaging), then you are indeed in control of your own destiny.
Action Step:
Connect with your ideal clients in some form or fashion.
When I ask my clients where they find their clients, they usually have an answer. It may be fuzzy, but at least they have one.
So… That’s where you start! Go to the networking events. Get in Facebook groups. Send the emails. Make the phone calls.
Here’s the thing: What worked before will work again. And now you have clarity on your side, because you know which ideal client you’re talking to and how to confidently explain how you can help them.
I understand that digging in and attracting your ideal client can be overwhelming, but if you break it down into simple steps, you can easily find clarity, talk about yourself, and position yourself to the right-fit clients who will love to work with you.
