What is a Client Avatar? Who is Yours?

Entrepreneurs are famous for trying to be all things to all people.

And then, we become nothing to nobody.

We have an idea in the shower at 7 a.m. and by 8 a.m., it’s “officially implemented.” Often (maybe never?) these new ideas are not well thought out, tested and vetted with the team.

Besides the fact that you will quickly drive your team nuts, the huge challenge with this habit is that it stretches your organization into a business that loses its unique competitive advantage.

Your goal should be to think small. Yes, think small. Who is your small niche client audience? Who are the 20 percent that will make up 80 percent of your business?

You see…entrepreneurs are pleasers. We love to make people happy — and we end up saying say yes way too often.

We have to force ourselves to say no and focus on our core customer.

Think of Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines. When a customer complained about the flight crew having too much fun and not acting in a professional manner, Herb wrote the customer back and said, “We’ll miss you.”

He knew his core customer enjoyed the fun, and he was not willing to bend for someone who was not in his core audience.

So, I have an exercise for you. Write out who your core customer is. Again, who is included in the small niche that you will focus on and not stray from — even if it means turning away revenue.

To do this, you’ll want to create a client avatar.  Name and describe in detail who your core customer is. Some questions to ponder:

• Male/Female?

• Where do they live?

• What is their income?

• What are their hobbies?

• What are their challenges?

• What are their needs?

• What are their hopes?

• What are their fears?

And then name your avatar! 

Make it clear to your team (and more importantly yourself) who your core customer is and why they need your company to help them.

And then, don’t stray.

Strive to be Stupid!

Many (bad) leaders strive to look really smart all the time.

They feel compelled to appear intelligent to their team in fear of being looked down upon as not a “fearless leader.”

Guess what?  Most successful leaders aim to be the dumbest person in the room. While this sounds silly, it’s actually an insightful and mature goal.

Great leaders are secure enough to surround themselves with wickedly smart people who are much smarter than themselves. That is the only way your organization will grow!

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in BIG trouble.


Good leaders keep their ego in their back pocket and listen to the smart people they surround themselves with much more than they talk.

And you know what? Your team will love you for it. They will not think you are dumb, but actually respect you more because you’ll appear humble and open.


The huge benefit is that this will inspire them to be engaged and offer feedback knowing that you’re receptive.


Don’t be afraid to be dumb. Get excited about being the most stupid person in the room and get ready to have your team scale the business up!

Plus, it’s just darn easier if YOU don’t have to think of everything.

What is your Super Power?

(Video link)

For those of you who saw the movie City Slickers you may remember the scene when Jack Palance gives Billy Crystal the secret to the meaning of life.

This is arguably one of the best movie scenes. Cowboy Curly (played by Palance) nails the definition of the meaning of life by holding up one finger.

Crystal looks confused and asks “Your finger?”

“One thing” answers Palance, “Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean shit.” 

Crystal then asks, “…but what’s the one thing?”

Palance answers “That’s what you gotta figure out.”

BAM!

With one finger, the meaning of life is defined…. (Watch the scene here.) 

I love this life lesson and wanted to see how it relates to not only someone’s personal life but also a business lesson.

This is what I came up with — what is YOUR one thing YOU should be doing to maximize your business’s success?

Now of course our business mission should be super hyper-focused on one brand promise. But what about you?

WHAT IS YOUR SUPER POWER?

What do you do best?

For me, it’s sales. I love sales. When I am passionate about a product nobody can outsell me.

I don’t even feel like I am selling something because I love my product so much, and I’m super pumped to sincerely help people solve their problems.

When my business is humming on all eight cylinders, I'm spending 95 percent of my time selling. There is a direct correlation to my business’s success and how much time I spend selling.

So, take a moment and ask yourself, “What do I do best?”

What is that ONE thing that just comes natural to you? That one thing that everyone says you are a rock star at? That one thing that when you are doing it, you are in the zone of kicking ass and nobody can stop you?

You know what it is.

It’s ONE THING.

Now, stop everything else and just do it.

And there’s the secret to a happy business life.