1. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER1 Section 1. Define Your Ideal Customer 1.You don’t have a business if you don’t have customers 2.Business is an exchange of money for value. The customer defines value. Why start with defining your customer?

2. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER2 Section Objectives Give 3 reasons why it’s important to understand who your customer is Describe who your ideal customer Create an ideal customer profile Use your ideal customer profile to attract more prospects After you finish this section you will be able to:

3. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER3 Customers or Clients? In this course we’ll use the term customer to refer to both customers and clients. In your own business, it is important to distinguish between customers and clients. The distinction is: Customer: Someone who buys goods and services. Client: Someone for whom a professional service is rendered. Usually the service is based on the sellers expertise and experience. Implied inequality between the two.

4. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER4 Why Define Your Ideal Customer? 1.You can’t be everything to everybody 2.Fosters collaboration and lessens competition 3.Your products and services sell themselves

5. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER5 Why Define Your Ideal Customer? Bottom Line: You are defining your ideal customer to make sure that your products and services meet their most compelling needs, so that your marketing speaks to them in the language they understand, and so that they will get and act on your message.

6. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER6 How to Define Your Ideal Customer To define your ideal customer, you’ll look at: 1.Demographics 2.Values, attitudes, and lifestyle 3.How they buy? 4.Problems and challenges

7. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER7 Creating an Ideal Customer “Profile” No single customer will possess all the qualities of your ideal But you can create ideal customer profile Your ideal customer profile is a virtual customer who represents the benchmarks you would most like your real customer to meet.

8. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER8 Use the Profile as a “Field Guide” Your customer profile is similar to a “field guide” people use in nature to identify birds, animals, plants, etc. You can use the profile to identify your ideal customer in situations when you’re meeting people.

9. Copyright © 2005 Judy Murdoch1. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER9 Completing Your Ideal Customer Profile There are four areas where you will be defining your ideal customer. These areas are: 1.Demographics 2.Values, attitudes, and lifestyle 3.How your ideal customer buys 4.Where to find your ideal customer