Find Your Ideal Customer: Do This Before You Create Another Social Media Post
Guest Post by Sarah Taylor
Tell me if this sounds familiar….
You put a lot of time into a social media post, trying to make it perfect and on trend, whatever that means this week. You post it, hoping for big results, but then you hear crickets. And you tell yourself social media marketing is a waste of time for a shop like yours.
Been there, done that.
Here’s what a lot of marketing experts are going to tell you. Just post more and keep pushing out content, because the more you talk, the more they’ll listen.
Nope. That’s not it. And it’s also a one-way ticket to burnout, especially when you’re already running a shop, managing inventory, and wearing all the hats.
Here’s what most marketing coaches skip right over. Not everyone wants what you sell. That might be hard to hear, but it’s actually one of the best things you can learn as a product seller because it is going to make marketing so much easier.
You can post 10 times a day on every single social media platform, but if it’s not landing with your ideal customer, it’s a complete waste of your time that you don’t have to spare.
Before you type out one caption, before you even open that social media app, there is something you need to do that so many product sellers and shop owners overlook. You need to know your ideal customer inside and out.
And before you say, “Well, everyone is my customer,” go back and reread what I just said. Not everyone wants what you have to sell, and that’s actually a really good thing, I promise!
What you want to have in your business is an Ideal Customer Avatar, ICA for short. This is the person who loves what you sell, your brand, your messaging, all of it. Even big brands like Walmart and Target build their entire marketing strategies around their ICA, so I know it will work for you too.
The easiest way to find your ICA is to keep it simple. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, and start with what you sell. Think about your products and who they are truly meant for, the person who you see in your shop or chat with online. Think about past customers and the feedback they have given you, or the reviews they have left. Really pay attention to what they say about how they are going to use your product, how it makes them feel to buy it, and what they love about it and your business.
To make this easier, think about your favorite store, online or in person. Really think about what that experience feels like and what keeps you coming back. Now think about a store you never shop in, and why that is. Chances are, whatever they sell just doesn’t appeal to you, and that means you are not their ideal customer. But that favorite store of yours? They know what makes you tick, and they use that in their marketing. You were drawn in without even realizing it.
That’s exactly what we’re working toward, and here’s where it starts to get really fun.
Once you have your ideal customer written down and you’re dialed in on who they are, grab that piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side, write down every problem, desire, want, and need your ideal customer has. Something as simple as hunger or wanting their kitchen to smell good counts, so don’t overthink this. On the other side, write down every solution your products offer to those problems. Extra points if you write down the one thing you know you do better than anyone else.
Really taking the time to do this exercise, and continue to add to it throughout the year, will not only help you really get to know your customer, but you will NEVER have to wonder what to post again.
When you dive deep into who you help, how you help them, and what their benefit is, you will never stare at a blank screen again, wondering what to post. And if you repeat it for each quarter and the products tied to it, like holidays, you will be a content machine.
And here’s the part I really want you to hear: Your content does not have to look like everyone else’s to work. You don’t need the trending audio, or dancing around to a song, or worry about the perfect hooks. A lot of the advice flooding your social media feed right now was built for service providers and online coaches, and it just does not translate to a shop selling physical products. And, when they’re all chasing the same trends and tricks, their content all starts looking the same, which is the exact opposite of what we actually want.
Grabbing your phone and knowing exactly what to post, and watching it actually pull people into your shop or onto your website, is what can happen when you take the time to dive deep into your ICA and what they want and need.
Social media marketing isn’t about learning more trends or tricks. It’s about getting back to basics and understanding that what your customer wants to hear always comes before what you want to say. The retailers making the biggest sales aren’t the ones posting the most, they’re the ones who know exactly who they’re talking to before they ever hit post.
If you are ready to stop guessing and start posting with purpose, come hang out with me in The Business Balance, my free Facebook group where we talk about marketing and mindset for product-based business owners every single week.
About Sarah Taylor
Sarah Taylor is a marketing coach and social media strategist with a retail career spanning over 20 years, including nearly 18 as a brick-and-mortar flower and gift shop owner. She founded Sarah Taylor Marketing to help product-based business owners turn their marketing into consistent sales. Sarah doesn’t just teach marketing, she lives it, and that’s exactly what makes her advice work.
Join The Business Balance, Sarah’s free Facebook group for retailers and product sellers who want more consistent sales from their marketing.
