It’s 2012: Do You Know Where Your Ideal Client Types Are?

Those of us who were kids (or adults) in the 1970s and 1980s were treated to many things that later generations missed out on, and one of these treats was a public service type of commercial that ran saying, “Parents, it’s 10:00 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBy9VDEWKOE&w=420&h=315]

The idea was, I suppose, to help encourage parents to be vigilant about the whereabouts of their kids in a day and age when everything was changing, not necessarily for the better.

So in the same spirit of helpfulness, I’m asking you, it’s 2012.  Do you know where your ideal client types are? 

We live in a world that’s changing, too.

Thanks to technology, it’s easier than ever to put marketing messages out into the universe.  And thanks to technology, it’s harder than ever to break through the marketing clutter.

And it’s more important than ever that your marketing be strategic and effective when it comes to reaching your target markets.

Much of the marketing put forward by salon and spa owners is in fact sent out into the general universe.  They believe that “everyone” is their target market, as evidenced by the fact that their marketing is not targeted in message, nor is it strategically placed in front of the people who represent their target markets, or ideal client types.

You might get lucky.

You might send your marketing messages out into the universe and members of your target markets, or ideal salon or spa client types, might stumble onto them.

But do you really want to leave it up to luck? 

It’s 2012, and almost 2013. There are more tools now at your disposal than ever before to help you become more strategic – and more effective – when it comes to marketing.  You have the ability to put your marketing messages right in front of the people in your community who you most want to attract to your salon or spa.

That is, if you have taken the time to identify your ideal client types.

Identifying your ideal client types is key to your salon marketing plan for many reasons:

• Without identifying ideal client types (or client personas) your marketing is likely to be random, ineffective, and much more expensive than it needs to be
• Without ideal client types that have the means to purchase your products and services, your salon can’t be profitable
• Without target markets that have enough members in your local area, your salon or spa can’t be profitable and can’t grow enough to become the salon or spa you envision it becoming

You may have some ideas about the general characteristics and demographics (gender, age, income, profession, hobbies, shopping habits, charities, kids, schools, etc.) shared by the majority, or different types of groups which comprise the majority of your current salon or spa client base.

When you analyze your current client base, you may determine that its members do represent the individuals you would consider your ideal client types.  On the other hand, they may not.  You may be attracting individuals outside of the types of people that you would want as “ideal” clients – the clients that you need to (a) build a profitable business, (b) grow your business to the next level, and (c) practice the skills and services you most want to practice.

Do you know where your ideal client types are?  Do you know who they are? 

As part of your search for salon marketing ideas for 2013, don’t forget the most basic necessity when it comes to your marketing:  you need to know who you want to attract.  You need to know who you are in fact attracting. You need to compare whether those two groups (who you want to attract and who you’re actually attracting as salon clients) are the same.  Where there is overlap.  Where you might be missing the mark with your marketing.

It’s 2012.  Time to find out where your ideal client types are, and go out there and get them!