Building Your Perfect Customer Profile

Who is your “perfect customer”?? I talk a LOT about your Perfect Customer (or PC for short), and that’s for a good reason. Building your perfect customer profile allows you to create marketing, content, products and promotions that reflect what your PC wants and needs.

Knowing your PC is the KEY to success.

And it’s not enough to say, “well, I know my PC is a woman and she likes handmade things.” That just doesn’t cut it! Having a perfect customer profile that is unique and deeply focused on your PC is the way to get to know your customer inside and out.

Let’s get to building your perfect customer profile!

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Getting to Know Your Perfect Customer

Your PC is that ONE person who loves EVERYTHING you do. They buy everything you make. They are the person that sings your praises at every opportunity.

This is the person that you create your art for. They are the person you speak to when creating your content and marketing, and the ONE person you look for in the crowd at in-person events.

They might be a lot like YOU – and that’s okay! You can definitely be your own PC.

Creating Your Perfect Customer Profile

I want you to open a new document on your computer or start a fresh page in your business journal or notebook. 

Set aside an hour to write up your perfect customer profile. Brew your favorite beverage, make sure the kids are occupied and the dog has been out for a walk.

Put on some music that can play in the background without being distracting.

Okay, now – close your eyes and picture your Perfect Customer.

They can be a real person or imaginary. Choose a name for your PC, and write their name at the top of your page. (My PC’s name is Jennifer, and she’s based on a real person.)

Find a picture of an actual person that you can use as a reference for your PC. If you’re creating an imaginary person, use a photo from a magazine or online. Copy and paste it or literally glue it onto your perfect customer profile page.

Now, write up a profile about this person. What do they do for a living? How much money do they make? What is their favorite color, movie, book? Are they married? Do they have kids? What do they like to do for fun, what are their hobbies? 

And look – there’s no wrong answers here! Just build a profile that gives you a very clear picture of the person who loves what YOU do, and will be buying the things you make.

You Have Your Perfect Customer Profile – Now What?

Now that you have a good idea of who wants to buy what you make, what do you do with this information?

First of all, figure out how to find your PC. Take a look at your current customer base. Is he or she already there? Chances are, there’s a small handful of people who jump out at you.

Put on your analytical hat and figure out what is similar about these people. Are their demographics similar? Are they going to similar shows, or buying similar products from you?

Choose ONE person to focus on, and get that focus razor sharp. 

Steve Jobs said, “Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves.”

Why Not Sell to Everyone?

Sometimes I hear from my students, “well, I don’t want to focus on just one person, I want to sell to as many people as possible.”

But I have been at this for many, many years and I can assure you that it is true when they say, “the riches are in the niches”.

If you are trying to speak to EVERYONE, you will speak to NO ONE. Think of it as the difference between having a one-on-one conversation with someone who is giving you their undivided attention, versus standing in the middle of a crowded arena and talking in a whisper, hoping that someone will hear you.

Believe me when I say that being honed in on that ONE person is not going to exclude anybody. It is only going to attract more of the RIGHT people.

Some Ideas for Your Perfect Customer Profile

Here are some questions that you can answer as you fill out your PC Profile:

Age

Marital Status

Gender

Hometown

Education Level

Yearly salary

Occupation

What do they do for fun?

What TV shows do they watch?

What magazines do they read?

Where do they shop?

What kind of food do they like?

What social media platforms do they use?

What do they post?

Who do they follow?

Do they share posts?

Are they funny? Quirky? Serious? Somber?

Where did they find you?

Do they go to craft shows? If yes, which ones?

Who else do they buy from?

Do they shop online?

Do they buy for themselves or for gifts?

Create Your Perfect Customer Profile

Taking the time to create your perfect customer profile will pay off in the long run. Once you have a deep understanding of your customer, you’ll find marketing to them to be easier AND more effective.

This profile will change over time, and that’s okay! As you continue to build your business, your customer will become clearer to you, and you’ll start to see exactly who you’re making your creations for. 

Keep refining your perfect customer profile and you’ll continue to build a business that BLOOMS!

Part of starting your business includes getting all the legal and “nitty-gritty” things done. But it can be hard to find out what exactly that means! I put together the Business School for Makers, so you don’t have to worry about a step that you may miss. Everything is organized in this self-paced course for you.