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Three quick marketing tips to get a handle on your client's needs

By Chris Makell

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 24Feb2010 Word count: 611 Viewed: 346 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

The key to effective marketing is to reach the right client with a clear and powerful message that creates the best response - action!

This can be challenging for the part time solopreneur who is looking to focus on the key activities, with the limited time you have available. So you want to focus in on the best methods for gathering data about your ideal client. Here are some simple steps to start the process rolling. You can easily build from here to see even greater results!

First, be very clear about who ideal client is.

- Are they male, female, working in a particular industry, have particular skills, like particular things?

- What do they do?

- What problems do they have that your product or service solves?

Create a detailed profile of your ideal client including how you'd like them to work with you and you with them! One of the best ways to determine who your ideal client is is to look at who is coming to you today for your knowledge and expertise. And if you enjoy working with them, they're likely your type of client. If you don't have clients today, then consider if you would be an ideal client for you.

Let me give you an example. I like to take action, learn from my results and improve the process. So I like working with clients who like to take action as well. Potential clients who procrastinate, complain and make excuses are not a good fit for me. So whether you have clients or not, it's a good way to create a picture for what your ideal client would like.

Second, once you have a clear list of the characteristics and attributes of your ideal client, it becomes easier to find these jewels. Once you identify the particulars, then you can find online and offline networking groups and associations where you can connect. There you will learn more about what problems they want solved and how your product or service can help. You can use the search engines to get more information too. Simply put the characteristic, in quotes, in the search engine and see what gets returned. I work with solopreneurs. Therefore I would type "solopreneurs" in my search box. It will return groups, associations and more about solopreneurs. By browsing these groups I can learn what information they're looking for t address their business and marketing challenges.

And finally, consider setting up Google Alerts for those characteristics and attributes you've identified. You may not have heard of Google Alerts, but they are becoming a valuable tool for many businesses large and small. At a recent presentation on selling effectiveness, my ears perked up when I heard the speaker mention that she uses Google Alerts to prepare her research before her sales calls!

Google Alerts will deliver a comprehensive list of searches, blog posts, etc. on the topics you're interested in. You'll learn what your competition is telling your ideal clients. How's that for finding out what their needs are! If you see a couple of articles or topics respected you can be sure your ideal clients are interest n this area!

There you have it! You now have three quick marketing tips for getting a handle on your clients' needs. I can't stress enough, and this is purely from personal experience and some of the areas where my clients get stuck, how important it is to have a deep and clear understanding of who is your ideal client. Your marketing messages will be crisp, clear and effective. And it will unlock the door to so very many sources of information, partners and alliances.

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