I am about halfway thru this class with Tim Nagle/Remodel Buddy, it is pretty good.
One of the activities we did was to identify our ideal client. He posted a similar worksheet on his site (look for the pdf worksheet by the house in the last article) so I am assuming it is ok to share.
This is only part of what he does in the class, but I'd encourage you to take a look at it and ask yourself some of the questions!
Had a quick look at the pdf - looks like an interesting exercise.
I've done a few of these webinar things before - great use of technology. I found them to be a great way to attend a seminar / course. No travel, traffic, parking hassles, etc.
The timing of this particular thread is great. My partner and I have been thinking about our marketing plans and pondering over what to do next.
I used to think that my ideal clients were:
--Those that wanted to buy what I offered
--Upper middle / higher-end
--Etc. etc.
Maximizing profit and minimizing stress usually are the basis..
Now-days, I think my ideal customers are those that have complete trust in me. Working with those always results in a win-win --jobs always go smoothly, everyone is happy with the end results and has a pleasant experience.
My concept would be different if I were out-of-bucket though.
I used to think that my ideal clients were:
--Those that wanted to buy what I offered
--Upper middle / higher-end
--Etc. etc.
Maximizing profit and minimizing stress usually are the basis..
Now-days, I think my ideal customers are those that have complete trust in me. Working with those always results in a win-win --jobs always go smoothly, everyone is happy with the end results and has a pleasant experience.
My concept would be different if I were out-of-bucket though.
How do you get prospects to come too you, when the prospects don't even know you exist? How do you exist too your prospects when you have no one to refer you too the prospect? The worst lost prospect is the one you weren't aware of.
Good point wing, you have to start somewhere. In a word: Networking.
Anyone who talks to other people is a good candidate to include in your network.
Once I decided what my target market was, I started making calls and sending out emails, struck up informal conversations with all the people I knew and handed out business cards to all of them. Friends, family, doctor, dentist, barber, previous employers, church leaders, kid's coaches & teachers, and the list goes on.
Make an appointment for coffee with the owners / managers of your local materials suppliers / hardware stores, etc. and take the opportunity to sell yourself and define your ideal customer to them. Ask yourself, "What have I got that sets me apart from my competitors?" and tell them about it.
I have received too many leads to count taking this approach. Once your network begins to roll it's amazing how word will get around, particularly after you have a few jobs under your belt to show off with pics and testimonials.
Much better use of time than simply pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, making cold calls handing out just another flyer. Not saying that doesn't work, just saying that the ROI for your time, transportation and the fliers may not be as high.
I started here in Tampa about 6 years ago and am doing quite well...what crash are you refering too?
If you thought it was bad here,what made you think it would be better there?
Don't get all bent,these are just questions.
Cost of living was a joke, and everybody was a failed mortgage broker. Just talked to an old traveling painter from Sarasota working on a job, he says things are still falling. Congrats for still working in a state that has the unemployment rate of Michigan, and 5 times more expensive to live in!
Ideal customer: approximately, middle-aged professional home owner(s) that is(are) hard pressed for time.
Re people who bash advertising: the little device called the iPod. It's awesome. Apple has sold close to 100 million of them per year since their introduction. They have "revolutionized" the mp3 device world even though comparable and arguably better mp3 players exist out there. They have outsold and run many competitors with comparable products out of business.
After I got one, I referred it to many of my friends. Many other people referred it to me. However, I don't think it would have been such a huge hit if Apple relied only on word of mouth. Unarguably, they still would have sold loads of them. But instead, these guys invest half a billion (with a "B") dollars per year to advertise their products.
Correct advertising can kick start sales, can maintain them, can grow them at a rate much higher than just wom. I consider networking and word-of-mouth as part of marketing, but not advertising. Advertising is part of marketing too. Anything that raises the perceived value of a good/service in the eyes of the consumer, I think can be safely classified as marketing....but that's another discussion about semantics.
Ideal customer: approximately, middle-aged professional home owner(s) that is(are) hard pressed for time.
That's a good market to target but my biggest question is how does one know or hone in folks that are hard pressed for time. How do you identify that group? Thanks.
Kev, it's not the most accurate way, but income is usually used as a proxy for that. Higher income is typically correlated with occupations that don't allow for too much free time With an income in mind, you can target the correct neighborhoods, the correct publications, the correct addresses (if doing DM), the correct networking events, and so on.
Yaros - I agree with what you are saying above. But the last few clients that we had that I would consider ideal clients are stay at home moms with successfull bussiness husbands. Their ages range from 30 to 50. They've got a "cool" personality. And they look good. Some are hot but others just look good. Most have a few kids anywhere from 2 months to high school age.
I mention their physical attributes just because that is something they had in common. How do you profile this type of potential client? Do you know what I mean? Have you experienced this type of ideal client? Thanks for the feedback.
The best part of this class is that it is a webinar with 10 other contractors who provide some very good insight, being able to bounce ideas off each other in a constructive way is gold as far as I am concerned.
If you look at the exercises, it outlines some very specific ways to determine your ideal client by looking at your past sales in a different way.
One of the things I did was call and interview previous customers, the answers to my questions from the worksheet were very interesting.
The best part of this class is that it is a webinar with 10 other contractors who provide some very good insight, being able to bounce ideas off each other in a constructive way is gold as far as I am concerned.
If you look at the exercises, it outlines some very specific ways to determine your ideal client by looking at your past sales in a different way.
One of the things I did was call and interview previous customers, the answers to my questions from the worksheet were very interesting.
I would say a customer that respects that I am someone trying to put out the best product with what type of budget they have to spend. Customers that understand I must be paid for my time (crew's time) and that if they skimp on the amount they want to pay for a project they will have to understand they get what they pay for.
So basically someone who "gets it" and "understands" what we do and why we do it, and the limitations we face when they limit what we can do by what they want to pay to get a project done.
TOTALLY forgot about Dekare! Were you at the Tampa PDCA convention in 98 or 99? Met a lot of the posters for the first time....
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