Why You Don’t Need to Define Your Ideal Customer Avatar
inside this blog post
Inclusivity over Exclusivity: Discover why defining a narrow ideal customer avatar (ICA) can limit your reach and how embracing a diverse client base can enrich your business.
Focus on Transformational Value: Learn the importance of highlighting the transformational value you provide to attract clients seeking specific results, regardless of their demographics.
Use Resonant Language: Get practical tips on identifying and using language that resonates with your clients’ problems, pain points, and desires to create more effective and engaging copy.
When you're starting or growing your business, one piece of advice you'll often hear is to get super clear on your “ideal customer avatar” (ICA). This means creating a detailed profile of the perfect customer who would benefit from your services. While this approach can be helpful for some, it’s not one I give to my clients. Here’s why you don’t need to define your ideal customer avatar to create a business that lights you up.
The Problem with Defining an Ideal Customer Avatar
Defining an ICA can sometimes feel like you’re boxing yourself in. My clients, for example, are incredibly diverse. They include women and men aged 20 to 60+ from all over the world. If I had tried to create a narrow ICA, I might have missed out on helping many wonderful people who don’t fit into a neat, predefined box. Here’s why you might want to rethink this common piece of advice:
Diverse Client Base: By not limiting yourself to an ICA, you open the door to a wide range of clients who can benefit from your services. Diversity brings richness to your business and helps you grow in unexpected ways.
Risk of Exclusion: A narrow ICA might lead you to exclude potential clients who don’t fit the profile but still need your help. This can limit your business’s reach and impact.
Instead of defining an ICA, do these two things: 1) Focus on the transformational value you provide, and 2) Identify and use the words and phrases that resonate most with the people you love to work with.
Focus on Transformational Value
Transformational value is about the profound changes and improvements your clients experience through your services. When you highlight this value, you attract clients who are seeking the specific results you offer, regardless of their demographics. For a deeper dive into this concept, check out my other blog post on Transformational Value.
The Power of Resonant Language
One of the most powerful ways to connect with potential clients is through resonant language. This means using words and phrases that reflect the problems, pain points, dreams, and desires of your target audience. When you speak their language, they feel understood and are more likely to engage with your offerings.
How to Identify Resonant Language
So, how do you find the words that will resonate with your clients? Here are a few practical tips:
Listen to Your Clients: Pay close attention to how your previous or existing clients describe their problems and desires. What words do they use? How do they talk about their challenges and goals?
Gather Feedback: Use client testimonials, feedback forms, and even casual conversations to gather insights into the language your clients use. This feedback is gold for crafting resonant copy.
Use These Insights: Incorporate the words and phrases you’ve gathered into your website copy, blog posts, emails, and other content. This helps potential clients feel seen and understood.
Case Study: Your Diverse Client Base
Let me share a few examples from my own business. I’ve worked with clients from all walks of life—young professionals just starting out, seasoned entrepreneurs, men and women from different cultures and countries. By not restricting myself to a specific ICA, I’ve been able to help a wide range of people achieve their dreams. Here are a few success stories:
Client A: A late-20s woman who is an incredibly talented psychic artist. Through a combination of coaching and consulting, I’m helping her finally embrace her unique gifts and confidently share them with the world
Client B: A 40-something female executive coach who focuses on a holistic approach to leadership development and work-life balance. Together, we’re creating a marketing strategy and designing a team and systems to support her business growth and scaling.
Client C: A male retiree who recently became a certified meditation teacher and wants to focus on helping others who struggle with ADHD. Through our sessions, we’re crafting a plan for experimenting with different offers to see what lights him up and resonates most with the people who gravitate toward him.
Next Steps
The success of my business is proof you don’t need to define an ideal customer avatar to create a successful, soul-guided business. Instead, focus on the transformational value you provide and use resonant language to connect with your clients. By doing so, you’ll attract a diverse and engaged audience who truly benefits from your offerings.
What are your thoughts on defining an ICA? Have you found success with or without it? Share your experiences in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re looking for more tips on building a soul-guided business, sign up for my newsletter for regular insights and inspiration. And if you need personalized guidance, check out my services here. Let’s create a business that lights you up!
