Know Your Ideal Client!

by | Jun 27, 2018 | Branding, Marketing, Strategist, Website

Show your potential customer why your proposal is worth the hassle!

KNOW YOUR CLIENT

Why do I think it is extremely important to Know Your Client (KYC)?

Not only do you need to know and understand your client in order to be able to market to them (and I really do think this is very important), but you also need to understand who they are, how they think and what they need.

Know their objections and have answers for every question and concern!

Most business owners will automatically throw up objection to a new proposal.  In some cases it is just a reflex.  They’ll say no before they say yes.  In other cases, they are simply testing you.  In any case, you need to be prepared explain, in detail, what you can do for their business.  Tell them why they need you.. and how you are the right person to work with.

How can you do that if you don’t know who they are and what their business mission is.  Do some research – do your homework!

“Put yourself in your client’s place”.

RESEARCH

Get to know the person who runs the business you would like to work with.  Who is that person, or group of people?  Besides learning what they sell, coach, offer…  find out what their core values are.   Google is your best friend.  Do some digging!

MARKETING

The most successful businesses understand their client’s mentality.  How do you do this?

The key here is knowing your client, inside and out.  Do Your Research!

Zero in on your target audience and your marketing will become very clear and then it will suddenly become easy to do!

Learn everything you can about them; what makes them tick, their pain points, how they measure their success.

Whether it’s simply knowing what colours appeal to them, or knowing what ‘turns them off’, you will make your life easier if you can figure this stuff out before you put it out there.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY IN MARKETING.

For example,  it’s important to be consistent with the language you use on your website, in social media and in all your marketing.

You need to decide what you are going to sound like in all your communication.  Knowing your client will help you to discover your voice.

For example, if  he or she is an older professional, you might be less inclined to use a lot of slang terms or even a few curse words.  That being said, if you are talking to a hip young audience who aren’t offended by the occasional curse word, then you should consider speaking like they do.

Now that I’ve said that, I believe it’s important to sound like yourself.  If you are the ‘rockstar chic’ type, then is your ideal client going to be an serious, middle-aged business man?  Not likely.   So, why would you go after this client?

Knowing who you are before you figure out who your ideal client is and you’ll come to your ‘sweet spot’.  Where yin meets yang.  Where you are going come together with the person you can help the most!

Do you know who your ideal client is?

Before you should do anything with your business, take that pre-branding journey of discovery.

 

Jen

Sharing Testimonials

by | Aug 5, 2017 | Testimonials, Website

In this day of advanced technology even people who think they are technically challenged can log onto a computer and do a little research.  Consumers may not always purchase online, but most people will check for reviews before buying a product or service.

Your client’s testimonials are reviews for your business and just like most consumers, most people will glance at, if not read through your testimonials.  Grateful and satisfied client reviews are seen as social proof that you not only exist but if well-written, then can help ‘seal the deal’ for potential clients who are not quite sure if you will be the perfect coach or the best web designer for them. 

It’s not enough for them to tell everyone that you are a great listener, or that your graphic work is beautiful. 

 

You’ll want them to share why they came to you, what problem you solved and how you did it. Then, of course, how grateful they are for the results you afforded them.

I suggest when asking your clients for a testimonial you send them a form that helps them ‘fill in the blanks’.  It doesn’t have to be complicated.

I basically ask my clients why they came to me, what I did for them, how I helped them and why they’d recommend me or why they’d choose to work with me again.  I always ask permission to share (and give them options on what personal and business information they’d like to share) and I thank them for their review.

 

I’ve never had a client refuse to give me their feedback and comments. 

The easiest way for people to give you a testimonial is in writing, but that’s not the only way!  Why not ask them, if they are comfortable, to send you a quick video review.  They can use your from questions as a guideline, and you can embed the video on the testimonial page of your website. 

Give it a try next time you are asking your latest satisfied customer.

If you’d like to see what my form looks like, you can see it right here:  https://www.bohemianbranding.com/testimonial-form/

If you have any questions I am happy to answer so fill out the contact form and I’ll get back to you.

Your Brand Is Like Your House

by | Jun 22, 2017 | 7 DayBranding Challenge, Branding, Graphics, Website

When people are expecting company, they give their house an ‘extra’ cleaning. They make sure that the living room and kitchen, bathroom and front entrance look ‘perfect’.  They want the first impression to be welcoming and they want their guests to see the best version of the way they live.  Most people are not likely to take visitors down to the basement, out to garage, or show them their closets.

It’s the same with your branding and your website.

Your website is where your visitors will get to know your Brand. And just like the new visitors to your home, you want to make a great first impression! They won’t be staying long, unless you give them a compelling reason to stay.  Therefore, you need to have a plan.

I say start with a design (blueprint), next build your brand (foundation), then you can build a solid website (house). Another way of looking at it is to build the website, to house your brand. A beautiful place to show it off. Without the blueprint and the foundation though, the house will eventually fall down!

Here is another way to look at it is this: You don’t usually choose the paint colour until all the cabinets are installed, and furniture is in and floors are done.  There is a natural order to things and when you try to do things backwards, you make things more difficult for yourself and you simply end up doing them again.

You might have heard the phrase “building a brand”.

You need to understand what it is you want to do with your business.  Take time to consider who your clients really are, why they should choose you, what their pain points are and how YOU are going to help them.

Once you’ve established who they are and what they look like, you should find it easier to get clearer on what you think they will be attracted to. Building your brand is not often as simple as finding a font you like, picking your favourite colour and drawing a picture of a heart or a star… and calling it a day.

You may be the kind of person who really loves bright colours and busy designs, but will your ideal client be able to relate?  For example, if you own a meditation studio, most people will be looking for a Zen, calming vibe. They may not relate well to hectic and busy. If your brand doesn’t match your business… it may be memorable, but not in a positive way.

You need to think about style, textures, colours. Where will people find your logo? Will it be used in print, on giant painted signs. Or, will it be in the tiniest of places, like pens or matchbook covers? Do you need it for letterhead, or will it simply be on your website, social media posts and perhaps just a business card?

Consider all this when designing your logo, and your website will follow.

Next time, my top tips for logo design.

Jen