{"id":12145,"date":"2022-07-27T13:08:46","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T20:08:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amplifiednow.com\/?p=12145"},"modified":"2022-07-27T13:08:47","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T20:08:47","slug":"how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reach Your Ideal Customer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>News flash: <\/strong>Your customers aren&#8217;t buying features, and they&#8217;re not buying benefits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As much as you&#8217;ve been told that that&#8217;s what they want, they simply don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might have been told to sell the sizzle, not the steak, but that kind of language is completely backwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And worse, it keeps the focus on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #37352f;color:#37352f\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #37352f;color:#37352f\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Your_customers_arent_buying_what_youre_selling_Your_customers_are_buying_a_solution_to_a_problem_they_have_that_your_product_or_service_solves\" title=\"Your customers aren\u2019t buying what you\u2019re selling. Your customers are buying a solution to a problem they have that your product or service solves.\">Your customers aren\u2019t buying what you\u2019re selling. Your customers are buying a solution to a problem they have that your product or service solves.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#For_a_good_example_of_this_look_no_further_than_the_diet_industry\" title=\"For a good example of this, look no further than the diet industry.\">For a good example of this, look no further than the diet industry.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Before_and_after_pictures\" title=\"Before and after pictures.\">Before and after pictures.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Your_product_or_service_is_all_about_transformation_as_well\" title=\"Your product or service is all about transformation as well.\">Your product or service is all about transformation as well.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Why_would_someone_need_to_solve_this_problem_that_theyre_having\" title=\"Why would someone need to solve this problem that they&#8217;re having?\">Why would someone need to solve this problem that they&#8217;re having?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#How_to_find_the_problems_that_your_ideal_clients_are_having_Elevator_Rants_from_Same_Side_Selling\" title=\"How to find the problems that your ideal clients are having: Elevator Rants, from Same Side Selling\">How to find the problems that your ideal clients are having: Elevator Rants, from Same Side Selling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Transformation_stories_are_the_backbone_of_content_marketing\" title=\"Transformation stories are the backbone of content marketing.\">Transformation stories are the backbone of content marketing.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#The_buyers_journey\" title=\"The buyer\u2019s journey\">The buyer\u2019s journey<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Marketing_is_the_bridge_between_where_your_prospects_are_now_and_where_they_will_be_after_they_transform\" title=\"Marketing is the bridge between where your prospects are now and where they will be after they transform.&nbsp;\">Marketing is the bridge between where your prospects are now and where they will be after they transform.&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/how-to-reach-your-ideal-customer\/#Conclusion_People_buy_solutions_to_their_problems_and_relate_to_stories_that_are_about_them\" title=\"Conclusion: People buy solutions to their problems, and relate to stories that are about them.\">Conclusion: People buy solutions to their problems, and relate to stories that are about them.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_customers_arent_buying_what_youre_selling_Your_customers_are_buying_a_solution_to_a_problem_they_have_that_your_product_or_service_solves\"><\/span>Your customers aren\u2019t buying what you\u2019re selling. Your customers are buying a solution to a problem they have that your product or service solves.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>They don&#8217;t want features, they don&#8217;t want benefits, what they want is a solution to a problem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And they&#8217;re willing to pay good money to solve a particularly sticky problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which means, on the one hand, you&#8217;re off the hook<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to explain the inner workings of your solution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to talk about how many steps or how complicated it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You only need to focus on the <strong>unique problem<\/strong> that you solve.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_a_good_example_of_this_look_no_further_than_the_diet_industry\"><\/span>For a good example of this, look no further than the diet industry.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you seen an ad for a weight loss program? If you\u2019ve been on the internet, even a minute, chances are, you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s missing from those ads?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll get to what\u2019s missing in a minute, but while we\u2019re here, let\u2019s talk about where those types of ads excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Before_and_after_pictures\"><\/span>Before and after pictures.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These pictures, and their corresponding captions, do a really great job of letting you, the viewer, imagine yourself transforming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see people describe what life was like before (dark and bad) and what it\u2019s like now (light and good).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s missing then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You got it: <em>specifics of the program<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing prescriptive about these ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing that indicates what you\u2019ll learn, not really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The names of these programs aren\u2019t \u201cA salad and 20 pushups a day to a new you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, my guess is, you\u2019re not in the diet industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you think that what people need is more information. More knowledge. More\u2026 salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s where you\u2019re mistaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_product_or_service_is_all_about_transformation_as_well\"><\/span>Your product or service is all about transformation as well.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on the transformation and you\u2019ll find much greater success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on the what and the why, and leave the \u201chow to\u201d for your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_would_someone_need_to_solve_this_problem_that_theyre_having\"><\/span>Why would someone need to solve this problem that they&#8217;re having?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s life like now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What will life be like after they transform?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t focus on what happens inside the chrysalis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_find_the_problems_that_your_ideal_clients_are_having_Elevator_Rants_from_Same_Side_Selling\"><\/span>How to find the problems that your ideal clients are having: Elevator Rants, from <a href=\"https:\/\/samesidesellingacademy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Same Side Selling<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept of elevator rants comes from the book, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Same-Side-Selling-Approach-Barriers\/dp\/1940858062\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Same Side Selling<\/a> by Ian Altman.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about this: two of your ideal customers get onto an elevator. They\u2019re at work, and they\u2019re heading to lunch after a particularly stressful morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stress involves a problem that your company just so happens to be able to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the time it takes them to get from the fifth floor to their car, what are they complaining about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What type of language do they use?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What aren\u2019t they saying?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What are the ten most frustrating things they\u2019re dealing with, that, if they knew about you, would magically disappear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And what aren&#8217;t they saying?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spend some time on this. It\u2019s NOT the same thing as an elevator pitch, where you do the talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No. In this elevator, you\u2019re a fly on the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These frustrated customers don\u2019t know about you or your solution. They\u2019re still working with someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So start telling their stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who are they, specifically? You don\u2019t have to name names, but you do want to paint a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why did they come to you in the first place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does life look like for them now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transformation_stories_are_the_backbone_of_content_marketing\"><\/span>Transformation stories are the backbone of content marketing.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you start telling the stories of your actual customers, their transformation stories, you&#8217;ve naturally mapped out a path to purchase.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This type of storytelling will mean that you <strong>never run out of content<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plenty of people, including the people who hire us for content marketing, worry that they\u2019re being repetitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That what they have to say has been said before, and better, on competitors\u2019 websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I\u2019m here to tell you that\u2019s not true, and even if it were true, your customers still need to hear it from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They need to see that your solution works, that you can solve their problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How are you going to do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through transformation stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more stories you tell, the more likely your prospects are to see themselves in those stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you can keep talking about their problems, and the transformation process \u2014 their stories \u2014 chances are they&#8217;re going to be able to picture the transformation process for themselves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_buyers_journey\"><\/span>The buyer\u2019s journey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that your prospects are all caterpillars.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your customers are hopefully all butterflies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your product\/service\/offer is the catalyst for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So tell those transformation stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell stories about every part of your customer&#8217;s journey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And once you tell enough stories about transformation, your prospects are going to see themselves in those stories and they will be more connected to you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Marketing_is_the_bridge_between_where_your_prospects_are_now_and_where_they_will_be_after_they_transform\"><\/span>Marketing is the bridge between where your prospects are now and where they will be after they transform.&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You want your prospects to transform even if they don&#8217;t buy your specific solution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You want every one of those caterpillars to turn into butterflies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key is to define marketing based on your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on the problem that your product or service solves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_People_buy_solutions_to_their_problems_and_relate_to_stories_that_are_about_them\"><\/span>Conclusion: People buy solutions to their problems, and relate to stories that are about them.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you focus on the problem, not the solution, you&#8217;ll never run out of content. The best way to get people to connect with you is to tell enough stories about people like them, so they can visualize the transformation that you promise so they can see themselves in your stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>News flash: Your customers aren&#8217;t buying features, and they&#8217;re not buying benefits.&nbsp; As much as you&#8217;ve been told [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[299],"tags":[300,303,287],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12145"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12145\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathleencelmins.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}