A year or so ago I attended a business seminar put on by a photographer in my local area.
He has achieved such great success in his business that when he announced this event, I immediately purchased a ticket! I was engulfed in amazing content and inspiration throughout the weekend, but there was one section that stood out to me in a really big way. Another photographer, Katie, got up for a short segment and spoke about being authentic and connecting with your ideal client. You would expect this type of segment at a business seminar right?
But here is the thing, Katie is a unique soul and when I met her several years prior I was instantly drawn to her. She just has this “thing” that makes everyone light up around her. She draws people in and she is unapologetically herself. When she got up to speak I was so captivated by not only her presence, but by her approach to connecting with people. She used a term that day that will stick with me forever.
Spirit Client
Seriously, my mind is still blown when I think of what this means. Yes, every marketer on the internet talks about your ideal client and how you should connect with them and how you should know them and blah blah blah. But THIS! This approach means you aren’t just knowing who they are so you can market to them, this approach means you are knowing them on such a deeper level so that you can truly connect with them. It’s similar to the difference between dating someone and finding your soulmate.
Let’s get philosophical for a second. Why do you exist as a business? Hint: the answer is more than just to make money. Think about it, WHY are you doing what you do? Why did you pick this business over something else?
You became an entrepreneur for a reason and with that comes a level of social responsibility. I sadly hear business owners complain all the time about the customer who didn’t pay on time or who showed up late. You see, when it comes to our ideal customers, we are often missing the point. Those customers are actual people on the other side of the screen, the desk and the counter. They are people with lives, with struggles that keep them up at night, with dreams they are hoping to achieve and with families who depend on them!
We often get stuck in the details and the monotonous day to day work, but friends, it’s time to remember the bigger picture. We exist as a business BECAUSE of these customers and it’s time to use our business and our marketing avenues to make deeper connections with the customers we SERVE. We are the leaders in this scenario and it’s our job to initiate these bigger connections with these spirit clients who help to keep our dreams alive.
You may be thinking that I’m being a bit dramatic about who these people are in my life, but I believe wholeheartedly that I am here to craft services and experiences that serve my clients better and make their lives more complete. I believe it is my job to serve them well. I also know that the first step in this process is to forge a deeper relationship with my ideal clients so at the end of the day I am able to show up and do my job well.
In this spirit (see what I did there 😂), I made you a new FREEBIE to help you in this journey to connect with your spirit clients! I’m calling it the “Date with Your Ideal Client” and while it is a short and sweet list of questions designed to help you sit down and have a meaningful conversation with your ideal customer, it is an exercise that can have a lasting impact on the trajectory of your business for years to come!
xoxo,
Crystal
