Kaden 0:00 Hey there business owners welcome back to another episode of the bold with Brooke podcast. The place to learn marketing and business skills you need to book the clients you want and reach your biggest goals. This may come as a shock to you joking, of course, but I am not Brooke, and I'm continuing in the series of encore episodes while Brooke gets her voice back. My name is Kaden. I am her son. And I've been helping the background for a couple of years now helping her set up sets and doing things like this. And I will be your guest host today for this intro, mom or Brooke as you know her is continuing to heal. While her voice is getting better every day. We're going to do one more week of guests so you're not missing out for too long. And she has asked me to record the introduction of today's encore episode.

Kaden 0:43 When mom first started her podcast in 2018. She wanted the first episode to have an impact, but also to be something that could be a reference point for years to come. And she definitely succeeded. This episode is one of the most downloaded and listened to episodes. And for good reason. Really knowing who you're working with and who you want to serve. And ultimately who you want to attract with your marketing is a core piece of your entire business and will affect almost every decision you make as a business owner and a CEO. So many online resources talk about your ideal client in terms of where they shop, what kind of clothes they wear and what they do. But my mom has built her very successful business connecting with people on a much deeper level. And this helps her students through the years identify their strengths and how they can relate to their clients as well. Identifying and speaking directly to your ideal client will not only help you in marketing, but in choosing products, services, partnerships with other businesses and so many other decisions that go into running a successful and sustainable business.

Kaden 1:39 This episode was originally episode one because it is used as a reference often and it makes it easy to find. But also because it's a foundation in business and marketing. Even if you've heard this before, I encourage you not to skip it and to listen and again, because the takeaways are important points are evergreen, and things that my mom still considers in her business every single day. I want to throw in a quick note here to remind you well, she wanted me to remind you that this was her first episode ever. I think it still sounds great, but she is definitely a little self conscious because it sounds very different than what you guys are used to hearing. But the takeaways are still very valuable. And I think you'll find several aha moments in the details.

Kaden 2:19 Please know that any links or resources that are discussed in the episode are no longer under business straight up, but are now under bold with Brooke after everything was moved over. So whether you hear business straight up, just insert the words bold with Brooke instead. Let's listen to this encore episode five questions to identify your ideal client.

Brooke Summer 2:39 Hello, they're gorgeous business owners Welcome to Bold with Brooke - the podcast for creative business owners to learn the marketing and business skills they need to get more clients and design their lives on their terms. So we can actually make a living doing what we love. Am I right? I am your host Brooke summer, and I'm an entrepreneur, educator and champion of women reminding them to embrace and step into their power. I'm bringing almost 20 years of business and marketing experience straight to you to help you get more clients and run a sustainable and successful business without burnout or overwhelmed. Let's jump in to today's topic.

Brooke Summer 3:20 Hello, hello awesome entrepreneurs. I am so excited to have you join me on this the inaugural episode of episode 001. And this is a crazy, crazy experience. The business straight up podcast is brand new. I'm so happy to have you here. And I have a huge list of ideas that I want to talk about that I've been teaching about for quite a while. But when it came to the first episode, like that's a lot of pressure. I was like, oh damn, what am I going to say in this first episode. And I really wanted it to be something that is meaty, and that helps you really think about your marketing and your business. And really the foundation for that is your ideal client.

Brooke Summer 4:10 So I'm excited to walk you through five important questions to build and define your ideal client profile, so that you can sharpen your marketing and book the dream clients that you really want to work with. This is something that I teach so often and I work with people so much on and it's so important with your business and really everything that goes into it any decision that you make, so let's dig in. First of all, I'm gonna tell you excuse me a little bit about myself so I decided to open my photography business with my point and shoot camera all Yeah, I shot my first senior session in 2006 for a whopping Hold on wait for it. $20 Yeah. At the beginning, I shot and did everything. I wanted to be everything To everyone, so that I could be hired as much as possible and have a ton of clients because that's what success is right?

Brooke Summer 5:07 In 2009, when I found out that boudoir photography was, in fact, a thing, I knew that's what I wanted to do. But again, I wanted to be everything to everyone when it came to boudoir. And so I worked with some clients that just weren't a great fit. There wasn't anything wrong with them, they just wanted things that I didn't really want to do. They wanted an experience that was very fast, kind of an in and out like a quickie, which is not really what I wanted to provide. So I knew I had to change things up a bit. I didn't know what the hell I was gonna do. I kept shooting. And I remember the first client that I had that really valued what I did, and was so invested in her session, Mrs. D. After her session, and her sales session, I spent some time really thinking about what made her different. Why did I enjoy working with her so much. And in the end, it really came down to working with clients who are on board with my mission, and my overall goals for my business, not necessarily revenue goals, not booking goals, but impact goals, and the way that I really wanted to serve women and impact lives. So that was huge for me, it wasn't just about sexy photos, it was about helping a woman to see herself in a certain way. And I wanted to work with clients who are on board with that.

Brooke Summer 6:22 So how do I determine like, how do I find these people? Are they unicorns? Are they just wandering in the woods, like, I really need sexy photos of myself. And it really comes down to looking at your ideal client? What do they love? What do they worry about? So let's look at five questions that you can work through to really build an ideal client profile and define your ideal client. So you can know her love her. And most of us serve her and impact her life of value to her life in a positive way. So I'm gonna go through these five questions. I am really excited to go through these I feel like this is like such a foundation for marketing your business and reaching the right people so that you can be successful. And I am going to create a freebie that you can find in the show notes at business straight up.com/ 001. Because this is the first episode. Oh, yeah.

Brooke Summer 7:22 So let's look at the five questions. And yes, I said serve her. Because a lot of times we are serving women, women make most of the purchasing decisions. But really, it can be female, male, whoever you're really reaching out to these questions will apply. So when I go through this, and I use the pronoun her, or she just know that this can apply to any anyone.

Brooke Summer 7:49 So number one, what is their background? Let's talk a little bit about this. Because I'm so tired of hearing people say, Oh, you have to know your ideal client. And that means how much they make and their age, and their demographic and how much money they spend at certain stores and what stores they shop at. Because I Call Bull. I think that that is ridiculous. And when it comes to an ideal client, you really need to look at very specific things. And when I say what is their background for this first question, I want you to think about where do they come from? So not geographically, not the fact that they lived in Texas and moved to Colorado, whatever. But did they grow up in a large family? Were they always trying to stand out? Were they the baby? And they're used to having things always their way? Were they the oldest child that had the tightest rules? And so they're a little rebellious? Really think about their background? Are they an only child that really wants connection with others? Did they always want to be a mom? Did they grow up with someone super critical that made them doubt themselves? What is their background? And how does that affect who they are today? Where do you fit into that? Really consider this? What is their background? And and when I say consider this, I really think that it would be very important for you to sit down in a quiet space and an office, turn on some lovely music, whatever helps you think and kind of just write it doesn't have to be imperfect lines. It doesn't have to be a perfect format. And I will provide a little worksheet for you. But grab your colored pens, sit down and just write who is this person that you want to serve. Who is this person that you want to impact?

Brooke Summer 9:46 All right, question number two, what do they value most? Again, do not turn this into well they make approximately 75,000 a year in income and they drive a Mercedes. Now they That's ridiculous. It doesn't matter how much someone makes if they don't value what you do. So I want you to answer for question number two, what do they value most are your ideal clients, busy professionals that don't want to deal with tons of meetings because their time is crazy limited? Are they going to look back on this chaotic time in their lives, and know that it was all worth it because they're going crazy with a million kids running around? Are they empty nesters finding a second chance of love that really want to focus on spending every second, they can together, really think about what your ideal client values most. And I know that it can be difficult to really kind of put words into their mouth. But when you have worked with clients that you absolutely love, you kind of have these conversations and you get to know them. For instance, my clients value travel and adventure. Not everyone is like that. Some people just want to stay at home and they love their homes. And if you're a lifestyle photographer, that's perfect, because then you want to go into their homes and remind them how much of an oasis their home really is. If you are a caterer or a cake decorator, gosh, I'm thinking of all the people that I know I work with her, or maybe a chocolate tear, or any of these creative professions. Really think about what your clients value? Do you serve corporate clients who need very specific logos on their products? Do you serve crazy creative clients that don't want to give you a ton of direction? Because they want you to just go for it. Really think about your ideal client and what they value most. So that is question number two.

Brooke Summer 11:53 Question number three, what are their challenges or frustrations? What keeps them up at night? This is hard. And again, I really, really encourage you to sit and just dream. Give yourself a half hour to go through this. And just blah, on the paper. Just write it all out? Do it in not even straight lines, just kind of scribble it out and really consider these questions. And number three, what are their challenges or frustrations? Are you looking to target moms that worry that their kids are growing up too fast? If so, what services and what things? Can you offer them? To help them with that? Are they business owners that have taken over an aging business from parents, and they want to revive it? Maybe they need help with moving the business into this new era of running a business? Maybe they don't have a website think of the different things that they're facing their challenges that you might be able to help with? Are they brides that are worried about losing themselves in their wedding because they're worried about pleasing everyone else? Man, that can be really difficult. So many rides fall down this rabbit hole of well, Grandma really wants this. Mom really wants this. And they're so worried about everyone else that they forget to take care of themselves? What are their challenges or frustrations? What are they really worried about? And this can also be? What are they afraid of? Are they parents that are afraid of time moving too quickly? Are they moms that are afraid of maybe their last kid is leaving the nest and now they're going to be home with hubby on their own. And there's kind of scared of re navigating that relationship. really go deep. Think about your ideal client, and what she's worried about. And think about all those conversations that you've had with your clients in the past. And really just write it down.

Brooke Summer 13:58 Number four, what are they currently facing in their life that is affecting their decisions. So I kind of already touched on this, because it does have to do with fears and challenges and frustrations. But think about the situations that someone is facing in their life. So some of these will be super obvious like a wedding. If a bride is facing a wedding, obviously she has some decisions on her plate that are not normal everyday decisions. This is not like I get up in the morning and I have to decide what type of cake I want to have for breakfast like that just doesn't normally happen unless you like cake for breakfast, in which case you go girl. So some of these will be really obvious. But what about the others? Like what about, as I said before parents who are facing children leaving for college. That's kind of a weird life transition. It means that their everyday lives are changing. What about someone who may be facing In a divorce, what are they going through? I know, when I got divorced, one of the things that was really difficult for me was to redefine family. And to make it okay in my brain to say that family is not just a mom and dad and two children. And that's it. I had to redefine that for myself. And you may be reaching out to ideal clients who may be redefining family, maybe they need help with that maybe there's something that you can do to help them redefine family and look at that in a different light. What about people that are facing adversity because of a diagnosis, maybe someone is facing a cancer diagnosis, and they have to relook at their entire life and the time that they spend with someone, and the time that they may not have with someone, there are so many different situations, there are people that rarely get to see their loved ones and want to get every second of time with them when they can. And this could especially be kind of a fantastic niche for a an area that is full of tourism. If you have people that are traveling to your area, and you want to reach out to them specifically, that could be an amazing opportunity, especially if they're family members that don't usually get together. So think about all of these situations that we all kind of go through in life, there are seasons, there are seasons of crazy, wild, fun parties, and there are seasons of oh my gosh, I just had a baby, what the heck do I do with this little person? That depends on me. And there are seasons of I want to start a business and I don't know what the hell I'm doing. And I need help. There are seasons of our lives that will ebb and flow depending on where we're at. But I really want you to consider what season of life is your ideal client in? What are they facing? That could be something that transcends what someone makes I hate it when people talk about ideal clients. And they're like, Well, what's their income bracket? Like, who effing cares? Like, come on people, you need to be considering all of these different things that go into someone's life, not just what they make, or where they shop. So think about what they're facing in their life, what will be affecting their decisions? Are they maybe going to a one income household? Are they seeing their kids go into high school, and all of a sudden, they have a lot of free time on their hands. Think about all of these possibilities, and the things that go into their lives. And you will kind of get a glimpse into a little more about what's important to them, and what could be affecting them. I feel like we spend a lot of time on that one.

Brooke Summer 18:00 So let's talk about number five, what excites them the most or makes them happy. So I am totally guilty about this. And I get super excited. I remember the first time I saw fireflies, I was like, pretty much crying. I just I thought it was the coolest thing in the world because we don't have them in Colorado. So when I was in Illinois, I was like this is just magic. I can't even breathe right now. I was so excited. Think about what excites them the most. What makes them happy? What is something that if someone could guarantee they would have forever unquestioned they would be absolutely thrilled. Don't think about the tangible here, okay? So tangible is something that you can touch something that you can hand to someone. That's not what we're talking about, because everyone would be thrilled to have someone just hand them a million dollars every day like, hey, here you go. Here's today's dive in you be like, yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. So I'm talking about the things that aren't tangible, the things that you can't buy, the things that make up the memories that we love to have the things that we go back to, if we're having a bad day, and we just really need a happy memory. What are those things that we will think about, that make us happy that bring us joy, and that excite us? So things like confidence, love, laughter and uplifting experience rolling around on the ground with their kids and laughing without their phone or without someone telling them that they have to do something hanging out with their husband, under the stars with a campfire going or going out. With the telescope with your kids in the middle of a field. I feel like I'm just pulling these from my own experiences because I know what I love. I actually have my dream board right in front of me. The things that I love that I dream Love, that makes me happy bring you joy. And sometimes you'll find that your ideal clients characteristics will closely match your own. And that's okay. But I want you to think about the things that bring them joy. The things that are not tangible, that you can't buy, that people want. But you can't necessarily create without a little help.

Brooke Summer 20:27 Five questions to really dig in to your ideal client experience. And I want you to think of overall number one question. I know I said, Five, this is the magic one.

Brooke Summer 20:43 What do you offer that can address anything that you've written down so far? That's a hard one, right? What can you offer that can help address one of their fears? Or what can you offer that will bring a little joy into their life, there are things that you can offer beyond just your services, that will help bring a little extra into someone's life. So for example, I am a boudoir photographer, I specialize in boudoir, it's very rare that I shoot anything else just because boudoir is what I love. I love to impact the client, excuse me impact the lives of my clients, and make them feel amazing. I want them to look at their photos, and know that they are beautiful no matter what they look like when they first wake up in the morning. That is something that I can offer them, not just because of the photos, but because of my expertise that goes into the photos. And because of me, I have a gift for helping people feel comfortable. And at first when I was younger, I was like, well, that's kind of a crappy gift. Like who wants that gift. But it has served me well in that I can help women to feel comfortable and put their guard down. Even if it's just for a couple of hours.

Brooke Summer 22:10 What do you have? What value can you offer to your clients, because in the end, that's really what this is all about. You need to be able to provide value to your clients through an unforgettable experience, an unforgettable service, or just an overall experience that is crazy, awesome. You need to be able to add value to their lives. And not just in the services you offer. But also in every interaction that you have with them. It's all about serving them and helping their lives to be a little better every day. Because when you do that, you will have clients lining up at the door to get a little bit of that because we all need that. What can you offer that can address any of the things that you've written down so far? And I know that that's a hard question. We actually just talked about this in the Facebook group. Because it's all about value. We all know these people that maybe live in this teeny tiny apartment, but have a TV that takes up the entire wall that you know cost more than the rent for that apartment, because that's what they value. That's what they love. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Brooke Summer 23:30 For me personally, I would probably eat ramen noodles for a year in order to travel. There are things that that I love. And there are priorities that we have. And everyone has different priorities. So I want you to think about what you can offer that will add value to your clients lives and address anything that you've written down. So how are we doing checking in? I know, I just threw a ton at you. I do a lot of Facebook Live. So it feels kind of weird to me not to be able to ask for questions right now. But this audio thing is a new thing for me. And I'm so excited to share it with you. I think it will be an amazing experience. I know that I already have several episodes recorded with these amazing female entrepreneurs and I have so many listed that we're going to share in the future.

Brooke Summer 24:24 And I want to offer you a little bit of homework. I feel like podcasts never really do homework, but this is it. This is your homework. I want you to write down your ideal client story. If it helps choose a name. So name your ideal client, if you want to make it up. Cool. If you're like this is Diana and I just got that name because I'm staring at the Wonder Woman Lego figurine on my desk. But choose a name. Tell me where she's from. And again, I don't mean geographically. I'm talking about is she from a big family? Is she from a small town and maybe has different values than the people who live in big cities because they grew up with different cultural norms. What does she value? What does she love? What will she save for a year? To do? Because it's that important to her? What does she value? What does she face? What is what is coming up for her? As far as a situation? Or maybe a life change that she is potentially facing? What does she worry about? What keeps her up at night? What does she fear? What is she terrified of? And you know, some of these are across the board. If you're talking about moms, we all think about, we want the best for our children, we want them to be safe. So go beyond the norms go beyond what is a common thread for pretty much most mothers go beyond that and tell me what she fears? What does she see in the mirror every day when she wakes up? That she thinks about that is weighing heavily on her? And what can you provide that would help her in some way? How can you add value to her life?

Brooke Summer 26:08 How can you serve her so that in six months, she could say no, most people won't say this, but she could say, my life is a little brighter because of my experience with you. That is huge. And when you have a client that can honestly say that it is the best, most amazing feeling in the world. So a quick note of caution. Remember, even if you have something to offer that you want to offer to everyone, please please, please remember that you are one person. And there are only so many hours in a day. I would love for every woman in the whole wide world to have boudoir photography. I think that it's that important. But I am just me. I do one session a day, I do two days a week with clients. And there is no possible way that I can even work with all the women in Denver in a year. So remember that you are one person. And there are only so many hours in a day. With the service that you provide. There are a finite amount of hours that you can spend helping someone. And you want to be able to appeal to the people that not only want to work with you, but value what you do, and they're excited to work with you. If you want to move into some charity work or other things to help feed your soul when it comes to offering to other people. That's okay, too. But right now we're going to talk about ideal client because this episode, I'm sure is going to be referenced over and over again, I can already see myself in future episodes saying we talked about this in episode one, check it out, because the ideal client profile, some people call the ideal client avatar is really that important.

Brooke Summer 27:59 When you have this homework done, and your ideal client story done, you will be able to answer any question about your business that may come up based on this information. So if you have an amazing advertising opportunity come up. All you have to do is ask yourself if we're going to use Diana from earlier. Is this where Diana would be looking for me? Is it worth advertising there? If the answer is no, that's a pretty clear now that it's not a great opportunity for you. This will impact every marketing decision you make every social media post that you do every blog post that you do, every web page that you set up, will have to go through the lens of your ideal client. Would this appeal to my ideal client? I'm writing on an Instagram catch it caption Excuse me? Would Diana love this Instagram post? Why did I choose Diana? That's so weird to me. Oh, yeah. Wonderful.

Brooke Summer 29:03 You can ask yourself with every decision. Would Diana? Would my ideal client really love this? If the answer is no, that's probably not a great fit. If you're writing a caption that just feels blah and you know that your ideal client isn't going to love it. Why the hell are you doing it? Right for that ideal client? Right? What you know they will love be authentic in wanting to impact their lives. And you will have clients that not only value what you do but are excited to work with you. And once you start working with those dream clients, you will never want to go back to the soul sucking clients that just make you want to hide under your desk, I promise. Right out that ideal client story. I know it seems like a lot of work. It will take some time. Give yourself a half hour to an hour to do it. But really write it out and go through all of the details because it will will really help you narrow down that ideal client, which will help you in pretty much every business decision that you will make moving forward. I am so excited that you could join me today for the inaugural episode of the business straight up podcast. I do have a freebie for you it is your ideal client profile.

Brooke Summer 30:19 You can see it in the show notes at WWW dot business straight up.com/ 001 You can also subscribe on iTunes. I would love to have you subscribe. I feel like this podcast is like me just jumping off a cliff and, and hoping for the best. So subscribe on iTunes, or your podcast provider of choice. And please, if you loved this video, leave me a review on iTunes. As I said, it's kind of me jumping off a cliff. I don't have any sponsors. I'm doing this because I really love to surf and work with amazing business women. And your reviews will help me get into the earbuds have more listeners serve more people. And just set aside this cliche of men ruling the world of business. Let's knock it down. Ladies, we can kick ass and make this work. And I'm really excited to do that. leave a review. Go to the show notes. Download your freebie. I am crazy excited to work with you in future episodes. And if you have any questions, please ask at WWW dot business straight up.com. We also have a Facebook group. That is a really fun discussion. So I look forward to working with you and reach out I can't wait to talk with you. Thank you so much for joining me today and listening in. You can find all of the show notes for this and every episode over at bold with brooke.com/podcast where you can also find all of the links or resources mentioned I can't wait to work with you have an amazing rest of your day.