21 Practical Ways to Find Ideal Clients (Even If You’ve Tried It All)

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Struggling to find ideal clients? This post will help ease the struggle so you can do more of the work you love.

It’s frustrating to try marketing techniques that end up being ineffective. That bring tiny results.

Many women entrepreneurs, life coaches, and wellness coaches have the same experience. They also struggle to attract their dream clients.

All. The. Time. 

Good news, you have plenty of practical marketing strategies to choose from. Many that will help capture the attention of potential customers. It requires an understanding of what works best for you and your audience of ideal clients.

In this post, you’ll find 21 proven marketing strategies. Consider them if you’re looking for new ways to fill your programs with clients who love working with you.

Let’s dive in.

21 Smart Strategies to Find Ideal Clients (Online + Offline)

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// 1) Clarify your services

It’s the same strategy whether you’re starting out, or refreshing your business. You want to communicate the value your services. First, create clear, compelling offerings that appeal to and attract specific dream clients.

Here’s how:

Tap into your purpose: Review your expertise and accomplishments. When you started the business, what impact did you want to have on clients’ lives ? Has your “why” shifted? Clarify the impact you now want to make for the clients you serve.

Cut through the clutter. Streamline your services to avoid overwhelming potential clients. Do this for your one-on-one offers and your entry-level services. Focus on two to three key offerings. These services should help solve client problems and showcase your expertise.

Craft a value proposition that highlights the impactful journey your clients will experience. Paint a compelling picture of what’s possible for them under your expert guidance.

Simplify for success. Explain the clear value of your services in your marketing content. Establish yourself as an authority. That way, you can better attract your ideal customer with ease.

When crafting content, keep your perfect clients’ challenges top of mind. We’ll discuss this further below.

// 2) Take ownership of the value you bring to your clients

Countless service-based solo entrepreneurs have told me that putting their skills, talents, and achievements on paper is incredibly helpful.

Clarifying and acknowledging the immense value you provide to clients is essential. 

It empowers you to shift your marketing mindset to a growth mindset and boost your confidence as an accomplished expert, so you can fully embrace your worth. 

Not only that, it is the key to finding potential ideal clients, attracting them, and converting them into paying clients.

To fully refresh your own understanding of what you bring to the table for clients, consider:

• Which of your skills are self-taught? Are you adept at writing, organizing, planning, analyzing, leading, empowering others, or providing support?
• How have you positively influenced others, even if you weren’t paid for it?
• What specific outcomes do your types of clients and students achieve through your guidance?
• What natural talents do you possess? Are you an exceptional listener, a captivating storyteller, a compelling speaker, or skilled at asking the right questions to help clients make progress?
• What awards, certifications, or accolades have you earned?

Reminding yourself of the difference you make and why it matters enables you to better craft messages and content so you can connect with more dream clients and positively impact their lives.

In the next step let’s choose them, because if you want to find ideal clients, first you must decide who they are.

// 3) Choose your dream clients: people whose lives you can best impact

Shouldn’t you stand out with ease in your industry, as you put yourself out there to find clients?

You can differentiate your services with ease by knowing your ideal customer better than anyone else knows them.

Instead of marketing to everyone who has the problems you solve, focus on attracting the right audience and building strong relationships.

To create high-quality content and deliver effective marketing messages, you need to know exactly who your target audience of dream clients are. You want to know them deeply, beyond their age and marital status.

Don’t settle for generic messaging that tries to attract everyone. Invest the time and effort to truly understand your best-fit clients and tailor your message and marketing content to their specific needs.

To find ideal clients, explore:

• What makes your perfect client stand out: are they eager, motivated, open to your coaching?
• What characteristics set your successful clients apart?
• Why do they want to solve their urgent problems?
• How do they indicate that they’re open-minded towards investing in your program or services?

Keep an ideal client profile document of their key attributes, traits, and values. This will help you create messaging and content that engages them effectively.

Reminder: Your ideal client isn’t *everyone* with the problems you help solve; only those who are your right-fit clients.

If you’d like more about why you should know your dream clients, here’s a great post.

Let’s examine how you help them next.

// 4)  Get clear on the specific problems you solve for clients

Failing to clarify your clients’ precise urgent wants and needs can be disastrous for your marketing efforts to fill your calendar with clients who love your work.

To attract dream clients effectively and fill your programs, you need to understand their specific desires and frustrations.

Once again, avoid generic marketing approaches that target everyone who has the problems you help solve. If you do, it will result in bland messages that don’t resonate with anyone.

By investing time and effort into understanding your clients’ deepest fears and pains, you can create impactful marketing messages that set you apart from your competitors. Don’t settle for mediocrity – tailor your marketing to connect with the people you truly want to help.

Another benefit when you clarify your ideal clients’ top challenges?

You can use the clients’ problem list to “train” AI (artificial intelligence) apps and tools so that the output you get is relevant to your specific clients.

Check out this post for more on why it’s important for you to gain ideal client clarity.

Characteristics of your perfect clients’ most urgent problem

It’s a big problem your ideal customer wants to solve, not a small, pesky problem. Too many business owners don’t realize they’re working to solve small problems. Set your sights high. Your clients have massive pain points. Your solution is the aspirin, not the (optional) vitamin.

• It is urgent. It’s blocking the path to the rest of their life.
• They’re motivated to acquire the skills to work through it (by purchasing your course) or hire you, the expert, to resolve it once and for all.
• It’s a problem they’re motivated to pay to solve because they’ve tried everything else. Nothing has worked.

Once you demonstrate that you understand their pain points, and you’re holding the keys to the kingdom, they’re ready to work with you!

If you’d like help finding more of your ideal clients, let’s talk.

In step #5, next, you’ll put your ideal clients’ urgent list of problems into action.

// 5) Brainstorm topics clients who love your work will be attracted to

To better find ideal clients online, craft and share content around topics they’re actively searching for.

For this activity, step out of your mindset and into that of your dream clients.

By understanding their viewpoint and the emotions behind their challenges, you can write compelling content topics that stop them as they scroll online.

⇒ For example, imagine why clients who struggle with their health want to become more fit.

⇒ Do they want to keep up with their grandchildren on family outings?

Remember, people are driven to make purchases based on emotions, not only practical needs.

Tap into AI tools here also. Once you’ve created (updated) your ideal clients’ backstory and top problems list, you have valuable data to feed into ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence app.

• The AI app can generate a list of topics.
• You must refine the list, edit it, and revise it to be in your voice.
• Giant content creation timesaver!

Next, let’s discuss a determining factor when you want to find more ideal clients: trust.

  

If content feels harder than it should … you’re not the problem

You’ve been improvising under pressure.

Get the free 3-Step Client-Attracting Content Framework designed to help you create content with more ease—and fewer blank pages.

GIVE ME THE 3-STEP FRAMEWORK!

By signing up, you agree to this website’s privacy policy and terms and conditions. We promise we won’t send you spam. You’re welcome to unsubscribe at any time.

// 6) Increase your know, like, and trust factor to find ideal clients

As a small business owner, the ‘know, like, trust’ marketing concept is super important for your brand and your business. Especially when you want to connect with ideal clients online.

“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.” – Seth Godin, Author, Philanthropist, Legendary Marketer

Never stop experimenting with messages, tactics, language, images, and stories that make web visitors think, “Wow, she gets me!”

In order to foster trust online, prospective clients must understand who you are, what your business stands for, and what outcomes they can expect when they work with you.

That’s why your #1 marketing strategy is: write content and develop messaging that makes clear the reasons your audience can trust you.

How do you do that?

• Educate potential clients with your content.
• Inspire them with your message.
• Entertain them with anecdotes or stories.
• Build authority and confidence in your abilities by sharing testimonials on your website.
• Be accessible: include ways to contact you on every single page of your website.

Next, let’s discuss content creation.

// 7) Have a plan to consistently create online content that resonates with your audience

You can stand out in today’s busy online space. You can take proactive steps to make your services business visible and known to potential clients. It’s not enough to rely solely on word-of-mouth.

Be intentional. Create engaging content that attracts and connects with your ideal clients on a deeper level.

As a purpose-driven solo entrepreneur, prioritize service over sales. Your content is not about advertising or pushing your services. It’s about educating and showing potential clients what’s possible when they choose to work with you.

Shift the narrative from sales to education by thinking of your marketing content as a channel for knowledge sharing.

A well-defined plan and schedule for creating regular content is crucial for success. Because, as they say, what doesn’t get scheduled, doesn’t get done.

Make your marketing content feel more like an invitation and less like a sales pitch to authentically share your expertise with potential clients who haven’t discovered you yet.

Take the time to make a plan so you can fully embrace your value and share your unique voice and ideas, because in the world of marketing, there is only one you.

Now let’s implement.

// 8) Implement your content plan

They say, what doesn’t get scheduled, doesn’t get done.

It couldn’t be more true when it comes to implementing your content plan so you can find ideal clients with blog posts, blog marketing, and social media marketing. You want to get into action by writing (recording) articles, blogs, and social media posts around the topics you brainstormed above.

⇒ Develop a plan to create and publish the content topics you identified in #5 above (topics your ideal customers will be attracted to)

⇒ Find your best cadence for writing, recording, or video-ing your unique content

⇒ Treat your business with as much intention as you treat your clients; set dates on your calendar for each action step in your content creation and blog marketing process

If you’d like more about what is the right content for your audience, click here for my post on how to create marketing content your clients are looking for.

// 9)  Organize your website for SEO and lead generation

As a female coach seeking to grow your online presence and find ideal clients, optimizing your website for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and lead generation is vital.

After all, the world needs all of the caring, committed women entrepreneurs it can get!

These strategies enhance your website’s visibility on search engines and help potential clients find you easily:

•  Research relevant keywords to identify popular terms used by your potential clients when searching for services like yours. Google has a tool here (you don’t have to create ads to use this planner.)
• Test your website pages on a mobile phone to ensure it’s mobile-friendly, because people now use mobiles more than they use PCs or laptops.
• Adopt user-friendly navigation menus. Organize your website in a way that makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. It keeps potential clients on your site longer, which is what you want!
• Leverage Calls to Action (CTAs) throughout the website to encourage visitors to take the next step to get into your world: for discovery calls, subscribe to your email list, or other.
• Test and analyze your website regularly using Google Analytics to monitor performance and track results. Get technical help if you need it.

Stay consistent with your lead generation efforts, get expert technical assistance when necessary, and be open to adjusting your approach based on the insights you gather.

Next, let’s dive into strategies for making your online presence the best it can be.

  

If content feels harder than it should … you’re not the problem

You’ve been improvising under pressure.

Get the free 3-Step Client-Attracting Content Framework designed to help you create content with more ease—and fewer blank pages.

GIVE ME THE 3-STEP FRAMEWORK!

By signing up, you agree to this website’s privacy policy and terms and conditions. We promise we won’t send you spam. You’re welcome to unsubscribe at any time.

// 10) Decide if / how you’ll be visible and engage on social media

Whether you love or hate social media, you have tons of options to help find ideal clients.

If you choose to skip using social media sites to find ideal clients, here are 4 strategies you can focus on:

In person networking: You can invest your time and energy into joining communities, book speaking gigs, host your own panels or workshops, attend live networking events, and exhibit at trade shows, for starters.

• Get published: If you love writing, contribute high-quality articles to industry publications and others your ideal clients are likely to read; be a guest blogger and start your own blog.
• Make sure ideal clients can find your website: lean heavily into optimizing your site for search engines. Include your website address on all of your print and digital ads, articles–everything.
• Prioritize email marketing: when you meet prospective ideal clients in person, invite them to subscribe to your list.

No matter what marketing gurus say, having a social media presence is not a requirement when you want to find ideal clients and fill your programs.

If you choose to make social media marketing a big part of your overall marketing strategy, you also have a ton of options. Here are a few:

• Join Facebook groups and online forums where your potential customers hang out
• When participating on social media: ask questions that showcase your knowledge and expertise
• Choose 1-2 social media platforms to be active on. Post snippets from your blog + website content
• Share links to your website content, blog posts, or videos
• Engage with prospective clients by commenting on and sharing their content

// 11) Stay on top of the search results for your name + business name

Even if your services are referred by a trusted person, everyone will look you up on the internet as soon as they get your name.

Don’t you search for a person or business whenever you get a recommendation? I sure do.

Google your name and your business regularly because you want to know what search engines show potential dream clients see when they search you online.

// 12) Develop your “Tell me more!” self-introduction

No matter if you’re meeting people online or in real life…

The best way to find your ideal clients amongst business groups is to ensure that prospective dream clients *hear* themselves in your self-introduction (elevator pitch).

Your elevator pitch isn’t just about telling people your job title. It’s about making a lasting impact. You want to be memorable to your future clients or customers, don’t you?

Your self-intro lets potential clients know who you cater to and what you can do for them. But it’s also important to remember that it needs to be concise, lasting no more than 30 to 60 seconds.

The key to a great elevator pitch is to grab attention right from the start and leave the right prospects wanting to know more.

You want them to say, “Tell me more!” because they are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

So, make your self-introduction compelling, informative, and enticing. After all, it’s the first impression you make, and it could be the start of a valuable relationship with future clients, customers, or students.

// 13) Take advantage of virtual networking groups + online directories

Virtual networking groups are an excellent starting point. Ask your business friends and colleagues to recommend virtual networking groups.

Keeping your profile on LinkedIn updated is a no brainer because even if your ideal clients aren’t active there, Google loves it.

When searching your name on Google, don’t be surprised if your LinkedIn profile comes up on the first search results page.

That’s an excellent reason to keep your LinkedIn profile updated with your current services and offers.

Research online directories for your industry and list yourself and your service there. You can gain a ton of visibility by listing yourself on portals like Life Coach Hub.

// 14) Build relationships with other experts who can connect you with potential clients

How well are you building mutual referral relationships with your business besties and other entrepreneurs?

Can you develop a referral program for other coaches and service providers whose services are complementary to yours? (Decide if you’ll pay a referral fee for leads others send you.)

Which other experts do you know that you can refer people to?

Want to listen to (or watch) a podcast I was interviewed on?  Click here for one of my podcast interviews: Five Steps to Consistent Content.

In step #15, let’s look at your lead magnets, so you can expand your email list.

// 15) Create resources to start digital relationships with future clients

We discussed in #6 above, that in order to find ideal clients you must implement strategies, take actions, and create content that builds the know, like, and trust factor with potential clients.

One of the best ways to build trust? Offer a free resource that shares a quick solution to a problem in exchange for your website visitors email.

The resource?

A lead magnet. Also called a freebie.

Your lead magnet is an easy-to-consume resource; it teaches a small step of your process or shares a snippet of your expertise. Lead magnets can be any format you like:

Now in step #16, a reminder about making it easy for website visitors to contact you online.

// 16) Are your website opt-ins and contact forms obvious + easy?

Let’s make it as easy as possible for prospective clients to contact you to learn more about your services.

Include a contact form, or an opt-in box on each page of your website.

Now, let’s look to community building with your email list.

// 17) Build a community around your email list

Mastering good email habits is essential for any business. As a services entrepreneur, your email list holds the key to attracting paying clients.

Why are email lists so powerful?

• Because you have complete control over who sees your messages
• You can easily encourage website visitors to subscribe
• You have the freedom to message your list at your convenience
• You’re not at the mercy of algorithms to reach your social media followers

That’s why your email list is your most valuable business asset.

Let’s turn to other outreach tactics next.

// 18) Use outreach tactics that help you to find ideal clients (daily)

Attracting your potential ideal clients by doing outreach requires intentional effort and consistency.

Make a commitment to take deliberate actions every day and week, rather than relying on luck.

To find ideal clients, you’ll conduct an exciting series of experiments. Test, try, and explore different outreach strategies, tactics, and habits to discover what works best for you.

Identify the social media platforms preferred by your ideal clients and give each one a try. If you don’t see engagement, don’t hesitate to switch to another platform.

Nurturing relationships is crucial for both your potential clients and referral partners. ⇒ Regularly check in with them to stay top of mind.

Find ways to deepen your connections with everyone in your business network. ⇒ Offer support, assistance, and encouragement.

Creating consistent content is essential to maintain visibility.

Engage with your social media followers. ⇒ Comment on their posts, share your own posts and theirs, and participate in online conversations.

Next, let’s find a way to be consistent.

// 19) Add outreach actions to your calendar

Treat yourself and your business with the same care you show your clients.

 To find ideal clients so you can fill your programs, you want to be consistent with implementing your outreach, and the strategies we outline here. Choose the strategies you like and calendar them.

• Set calendar reminders.
• Do your outreach each weekday at the same time: ex. interact on LinkedIn at 8am
• Use sticky notes.

Whatever it takes for you to form the habit of practicing outreach consistently.

Our next strategy offers another side of outreach.

// 20) Make time for regular informational interviews with ideal clients

Discovering how your ideal clients truly think and feel is huge in the world of business and marketing.

The “Voice of Customer” (VoC) strategy unlocks valuable information and perspectives, allowing you to tailor your content and messaging to perfection.

By diving deep into the exact words and descriptions your dream clients use to express their challenges, pain points, dreams, and desires, you gain a competitive edge.

By extracting VoC data from interviews with past and current clients, surveys, social media comments, Amazon book reviews, and one-on-one conversations, you unlock invaluable insights.

These insights empower you to seamlessly incorporate your ideal clients’ language and emotions into your messaging, content, and communication. No more jargon or missed connections – now every word resonates with your dream clients.

Elevate your game with game-changing informational interviews.

Through open-ended questions and active listening, you’ll gain unparalleled insights into your ideal clients’ thoughts and feelings regarding your area of expertise. You can use them to make your content and messaging more resonant when you want to find ideal clients.

Let’s finish off with one more strategy: providing value to other people’s audiences.

// 21) Provide value to other experts’ audiences

Still growing your own audience to help find ideal clients?

Here’s a helpful strategy to broaden your reach: Pitch yourself to be a speaker on summits, live events, or a guest on podcasts.

When you speak on other experts’ stages–either in person or virtually like online summits–you have the opportunity to share your knowledge, insights, expertise and build your authority with a new set of potential dream clients.

The advantage of online summits: your presentation (and your contact info!) can be available well after the summit has concluded. That provides you with additional time for your work to be discovered by summit participants.

Depending on the size of the summit host’s audience, you may have access to a much larger group of new potential clients for your services.

Conclusion

Identifying the ideal clients who appreciate your work, for whom you can make a greater impact, and elevate your programs to new heights is crucial for business success.

Let these 21 practical strategies be your guide to exploring the opportunities that await you. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed when deciding which path will lead to success, but remember to take it one step at a time.

By putting yourself out there, you’ll uncover a wealth of tactics and advice in this blog post to support your journey.

Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try new approaches to engage your customers. Take ownership of your success and embrace the valuable lessons that come from failure.

Above all, show your enthusiasm and confidence in yourself and your services. Your belief in what you do will ignite excitement in potential clients.

And remember, if you feel like a conversation with me would be useful when homing in on the most effective marketing tactics for your services, I’m here to help – so please don’t hesitate to reach out and set up a no-obligation call here.

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