Business Know-How with Marlene Richey: Finding Your Ultimate Customer and Getting Their Attention!

When I consult with clients or teach a class, one of the first things I have folks do is define and describe their ultimate customer. I am not talking about your family and friends—they will always love your work because you made it—but the person who is willing to slap down hard-earned cash to have your services or jewelry.

Who is this elusive person? And how do you get their attention?

First you need to do an exercise: Close your eyes and visualize the person who is your ultimate customer. Now describe them and what their life looks like. You might be picturing someone you already know or it could be an imaginary combination of different people you've met. Sometimes this is a good exercise to do collaboratively with people in your business, your family members, or your best girl friend. Those individuals might have insights and ideas that you haven't thought about. After you have an image of your customer answer the following questions and write down the answers to review later:

1. What is their age?
2. Are they local, national, or international customers?
3. What region or area do they live in—north, south, east, or west?
4. Are they female or male?
5. What is their level of education?
6. What is their income?
7. Are they rural, urban, or suburban?
8. What do they spend their discretionary money on? Where do they love to shop?
9. Do they have any special interests, professions, or characteristics? Maybe they love horses. Do they garden? Are they mothers? Brides-to-be? Gay? Do they play an instrument? Are they college students? Do they love to fish or go to the opera? Are they are architects, nurses, or teachers?
10. Are they collectors or do they only purchase jewelry occasionally? Are they impulse buyers?
11. Are they seasonal consumers (such as people who purchase a piece of jewelry as a momento on a vacation) or year-around buyers?

Now that you have a pretty solid image of the person who is your target market, let’s take this information and use it to figure out where to find them and how to get their attention. Again, get your pen and jot down as many of these answers as you can:

1. How do you get your jewelry in front this specific customer? Magazines? Direct mail? Email? Events? Home jewelry parties? Small jewelry boutiques? Word-of-mouth? Through an awesome website? In a local retail gallery or boutique? At craft shows?
2. What would attract your customer's attention? Coupons? Your metalsmithing process? Branding? Collectibles and one-of-a-kind pieces? Fashionable or trendy jewelry? Pieces that are handmade? Jewelry that's made in America? Pieces with symbolic meaning? Your choice of gemstones?
3. What type of websites, magazines, newspapers, blogs, newspapers, radio, or facebook pages do they read or follow? Where do they get their information?
4. What types of events do they attend?
5. What types of organizations, associations, educational institutions, churches, or clubs do they belong to? Are they members of their local museum, theater, or symphony?
6. What restaurants, events, recreational facilities, and stores do they frequent?
7. What do they want from a buying experience? Do they like to sit down and browse at a leisurely pace? Do they love the craft show experience? Do they want to buy handmade from a website like Etsy? Are they looking for a bargain at a discount store? Will they buy at a church bazaar? Is a personal home-jewelry event or trunk show where they're likely to spend? Would they prefer to speak directly to the maker or to a trusted retail location? Do they love the convenience of a user-friendly and sophisticated website with beautiful photographs?

Put the "Ultimate Customer Profile" you've created, somewhere that it can easily be found. As your product line develops, your ultimate customer may also evolve. That's okay. It's important to begin now by defining who would buy your work. Through this exercise you'll have the opportunity to "meet" your customer, get to know them, learn what they like, and think seriously about WHY they would eventually feel compelled to purchase your jewelry.

If for example, you are designing a "mother’s ring" you should consider advertising in a local PTA or library newsletter or displaying your work at a church bazaar or maternity clothing shop. If your ultimate customer yearns for jewelry with a southwest flair, do as one of my clients did, and rent a booth at a local horse show! Or as another friend did when she rented a table at an SPCA "adopt a pet" event to sell her puppy and kitty pendants. I made fun of her until I found out that in a few hours, and with very little investment, she managed to sell a lot of jewelry.

Once you have the "who" and "why" figured out, you can begin searching for appropriate and affordable venues to get your work in front of them.

How have you discovered who your ideal customer is? Do you have any successful outside-the-box strategies for getting your work in front of them? Please DO share your experience!

Comment on this article

---

Business Savvy: Find New Customers Using Google Images

As part of our Business Savvy Series, we’re lucky to have insight and wisdom from Arien Gessner of Rio’s marketing team. In today’s post, Arien shares that ranking high in search engines like Google is a great way to find new customers for your business. It’s also very difficult to do. Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become very competitive, and it can be a daunting challenge for those who don’t have a technical background. . .

...Read the Rest

---

Business Know-How with Marlene Richey: Define Your Product

To run a business that sells a product or offers a service, you must first carefully and thoughtfully define what it is you are selling. Come up with 15−20 words to describe a body or collection of your work. The words should be colorful, tell a story, have a strong impact, and accurately define what you are making.

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 3: Accountability (Part Two)

Today we post the final installment of Matthew Anderson’s enormously insightful series, “Collaborate Like a Pro.” In today’s post, Accountability – Part Two, Matthew follows up on the productivity advice he gave in Part One, with the next step: Goal setting.

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 3: Accountability (Part One)

The beauty of effective collaboration is that it provides an opportunity for everyone to participate in how change takes place. In today’s post, Rio business coach Matthew Anderson talks about how the Accountability component of collaboration can help you to define and monitor your success.

...Read the Rest

---

Internet Marketing with Eugene Brill—Get Customers to Your Site: Part 3

Internet marketing expert Eugene Brill continues to demystify the landscape of digital marketing and how modern consumers search and shop for goods. Take advantage of Eugene’s immense experience to learn how use internet analytics to optimize your business decisions!

...Read the Rest

---

Business Know-How with Marlene Richey: What’s in a Name?

What’s in a name? Seems simple enough, naming your business, but it isn’t always. In today’s Business Know-How post, Marlene Richey shares her wisdom about choosing a name for your business.

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 2: Authority

Part 2 of Matthew Anderson’s insightful Business Collaboration Series, focuses on AUTHORITY, and gives you the tools you need to leverage the strengths of your team members and maximize everyone’s performance. The beauty of effective collaboration is that it provides an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the success of the business!

...Read the Rest

---

Internet Marketing with Eugene Brill—Get Customers to Your Site: Part 2

In this new series, internet marketing aficionado Eugene Brill explains the new landscape of digital marketing and how modern consumers search and shop for goods. Take advantage of Eugene’s immense experience to learn how to make sure potential customers find your internet store!

...Read the Rest

---

Business Know-How with Marlene Richey: The MMM of Your Art-Based Business

Any successful art-based business requires equal attention to three important components: The Maker, the Manager, and the Market. Art-business maven, Marlene Richey, is on The Studio today to tell us about the importance of honing our skills in and balancing each of these areas!

...Read the Rest

---