#BePrepared – Who is Your Client Avatar in Social Media?

You already know that your business needs an online presence, right?

EVERYTHING happens on the Internet these days. Without a blog or social media, your audience will never even know you exist.

But simply churning out new blogs and social media posts isn’t enough. You could share something new every single day, and people still might not know that you exist.

Why? Because if you’re not targeting the right audience, no one will ever look at your content.

The key to online success lies in identifying and understanding your ideal customer. That person – your ‘avatar’ – should be the only person you speak to.

Every single piece of content you create should be geared directly towards them. It should answer their questions, solve their challenges, and address their problems.

So, who is this person and how do you find them? Keep reading to find out how to build your own avatar and attract the right audience!

What is an avatar?

A client avatar is simply another way to describe your “ideal client.”  If you’re unfamiliar with the term, an avatar is a visual representation of a person. For example, you may have an avatar that represents you in online games or on your email.

Your client avatar gives you a visual of exactly who your ideal client is: What they like, where they work, how old they are, if they have children, and much more. The more detailed your avatar is, the better!

How to create a client avatar

When it comes down to it, creating a client avatar is really about research. Does it take time? Yes. Is it worth it? Also, yes.

Start simple with a list of demographic traits, such as:

• Gender
• Age
• Marital Status
• Location
• Education Level
• Career Type
• Salary

Once you have the basics figured out, dig a little deeper into their psychographic traits such as:

• Pain Points
• Fears
• Challenges
• Goals
• Values

(Hint: Digging around a little on social media, in groups and forums, and even on competitor websites can help you answer a lot of these questions!)

A lot of business owners start out thinking they don’t have a true “ideal client.” They’ll say something like, “But we work with all kinds of clients! ANYONE can use our product!”

Our guess is that once you ask yourself the above questions and do a bit of research, you’ll find that there are a few common threads between all of the different people you work with.

A new idea being floated around in the marketing communities is that your ideal client will look a lot like…. YOU. Don’t be afraid to dig deep or get specific, as choosing a target audience and creating an ideal client does not mean that you are eliminating prospects. Honing in on a type of person makes it easier for them to find you and for you to find them. If that person believes you are talking directly to or about them, you’ve got their attention. You can’t speak to a broad audience and have that same impact.

Not sure how to begin? Our Social Power program can help get you started on the path to online success. Reach out today to learn how we can help you determine your ideal client – and much more.

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and the tools to manage them.

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