Defining Your Ideal Customer for Higher Lead Generation

Hoping to improve your lead generation results? Knowing your customer on a deeper level allows you and your team to remain in alignment on the who, what, when, where, and how of your customers’ motivations. Your clarity in these areas allows you to build a strong lead generation strategy to guide your marketing and advertising efforts moving forward.  This article will explore how to define your ideal customer profile to better understand your customer’s motivations, needs, and challenges. We recommend that you take this information into account as you think through new ways to reach those customers and encourage them to take action. 

Understanding Your Customer: B2B vs. B2C 

Profiling your customers is helpful for both B2B and B2C clients—however, the approach is different for each. 

• For B2B customers: Instead of imagining a single individual, you will be building a profile for the ideal business that you would like to work with. You may look at aspects of their business such as size, industry, values, and structure. These elements, and many others you might identify along the way, add up to paint a picture of what types of companies you prefer to work with, and why.  
• For B2C customers: With B2C customers, you’re focusing on your customer at an individual level, identifying what types of people your products or services are for. Elements that you focus on may be their age, location, interests, needs, and several other factors. 

When determining who your ideal customer is, bring your team in on this conversation. Your perspective alone may not be enough to gather a comprehensive view of the types of customers you typically attract or the prospective customers you would like to target moving forward. 

Leaning On The Data

Your ideal customer isn’t merely a matter of perspective, opinion, or a shot in the dark. It’s also a matter of data. If you’ve been in business a while, you likely have metrics to reference when determining your typical customer. Look at your website, social media accounts, and email marketing statistics to gain an understanding of who your current marketing efforts are already attracting and where you might have an opportunity to expand your reach. 

Using What You Find

This is the best part—using what you discover. Once you’re ready, use what you’ve learned to build a robust lead generation strategy that hinges on your findings.  What does this mean? For example, suppose you found that your ideal customer is a young professional in your area who is motivated by excelling in their career. In that case, you might decide that the best way to reach that person is through targeted LinkedIn ads and face-to-face at local professional organizations.  Take what you now understand about that customer and use it to your advantage. You have the data you need to lead you straight to your ideal customer, and now it’s time to encourage them to take action with your company. 

Build a Lead Generation Strategy with Green Apple

If you want to dig into your customer’s characteristics even further, we recommend checking out our recent article “20 Questions to Ask Yourself that Will Improve Your Customer Profiles.” Green Apple Strategy can help you find your ideal customer and discover new ways to speak to their pain points. Ready to get started? Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.