The actionable first step to any profitable campaign.
We’ve all been there.
“I want to start using the internet to market my business, but…”
“I have no idea where to start.”
“I’m too busy with existing clients to spend time on that right now.”
“Does it even work?”
To most of us, trying to promote our business on the internet with a positive ROI feels like an impossible journey where we’re doomed from the start. Even finding the first step can be so overwhelming that we always seem to find an excuse to put if off.
This article will show you where to start and provide a free template for the most important piece of the puzzle.
The Magic Compass
The “secret” first step to any successful campaign is to identify your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Any ad design, copy, and value that you put into your campaign will resonate more strongly with your customers the deeper you dive into completing your ICP.
A strong ICP will serve as your blueprint for targeting your perfect customer. Start from a broad viewpoint; think first about the problem that you’re solving for them and who would benefit most from that product or service. Ideally you want to look for the type of “true fan” that:
- Spends the most money on your goods or services
- Is easy to work with
- Tells others about their great experience with your company
Simple Steps to Creating an ICP
ICP’s can be broken down into two main segments, Demographics and Psychographics. Demographic information such as age, gender, income, and education paired with psychographic data such as personal values, character traits, lifestyles, and attitudes can give a unique snapshot of the customer group you plan to target.
Use the examples below to get started. It is best to add or remove rows as necessary to tailor the examples to your business.
If you’d like the free template, click here.
Demographic Example
Psychographic Example
In addition to these two segmentations, it is also helpful to break out Behaviors and Environmental Influences to get a more complete view of your ideal customer.
Behavior Example
Environmental Influences Example
One Inch Wide, One Mile Deep
The trick to a successful online advertising campaign is to niche down as far as possible; don’t worry about trying to be everything to everyone you think might need your product or service. Keep your true fan in mind when developing content and speak to that person only. This keeps your marketing voice consistent and the people on the fringes of your ICP will still be able to identify with your content.
Just remember, every piece of content that you develop for advertisements will need to be written or designed specifically to match up with the data you uncover in the ICP. Although it sounds counterintuitive, the smaller and more focused your primary target market gets, the greater success your ads will have resonating with your potential customers.