At my Tuesdays Together group this month we discussed defining our ideal client and niche. I loved it. This was right up my alley.

I think there’s always this elephant in the room when discussing ideal clients because people think they don’t exist. How do I know that? Because I was that person. I’d hear someone describing their ideal client and think “yea…okay…that person doesn’t exist.” Who doesn’t want to have an ideal client who hires you for a lot of money and raves about your work? Maybe they shop at J Crew, wear pearls, and have an adorable Labradoodle too right? Why not…because she doesn’t exist.

WRONG.

They DO exist. They aren’t these mythological creatures we make up in our heads. There are people out there who love your work and are willing to pay for you even if you don’t believe it. I discovered this first hand when I rebranded last year. I reached a point in my career where I felt I outgrew my then current style and wanted to aim for a different type of client. I also knew that my brand at the time would NOT attract my ideal client. That’s the key isn’t it? You can have an AMAZING image of your ideal client in your head, but if your brand doesn’t attract her what’s the point? There’s the disconnect. You need to be able to attract that ideal client with a solid brand. This includes your logo, the copy in your emails, the way you dress for meetings, your instagram feed, your blog posts, etc. There is more to your brand than meets the eye.  After a long heart to heart with myself (because I’m nerdy like that) I came upon this ideal client and the brand you see now:

My ideal client is a 26-45 year old woman who works in the wedding industry; She shops at J Crew and Loft, but loves Target too; she had a 9-5 corporate background and great salary before quitting to pursue her small business passion; she’s been in the industry for a few years now, has gained great experience and exposure, but has a brand that doesn’t match the quality of her amazing work; she kicks her Sperrys or Tory Burch flats off at the end of the day to cozy up with her pup and a bottle of wine; she is well put together with her appearance, but doesn’t take herself too seriously; she’s preppy, but a little hipster too. She is funny, smart, a great business woman, and laughs at herself often.

You might see her rocking this outfit:

Don’t sell yourself short. Be confident in your service and continue to grow. If you don’t have a brand that is attracting your ideal client then get help! Besides me there are SO many graphic designers/business coaches/etc. who are more than willing to help with this. Defining your ideal client can be challenging and that’s why I offer brand coaching in my branding experience so we build a visual brand around your ideal client.