Who are all these people? Are they all your customers if you sell bathing suits, if you sell ice cream locally, if you are a travel agent?
Your customers are not people who cannot get to you
Most people won’t drive very far for the services they want. The more unique and the more of an expert you are, which comes from focusing tightly, the farther they will be willing to travel to get to you. People won’t travel too far for a hairdresser or a family restaurant. They won’t pass the local ones, unless you offer something they can’t get at the local ones.
If you specialize in managing naturally curly hair, women will come from all over. Or if your family restaurant specializes in making everyone in the family happy from baby to senior, people will drive out of their way to get to you.
Web services or phone services have areas defined by web coverage, time zones, language or long distance rates. Trying to sell video products to people on dial up or sketchy internet service won’t work. Similarly, connecting deeply with people in opposite time zones, cultural differences or languages will be harder than is worth it.
For the most part, you have a defined area of some form.
Your customers are not people you have to convince
It’s not your job to convince people that massage therapy will help them feel better and be able to work more easily. Sure, have that information on your website, but your customers are the ones who already know that. They don’t take convincing. We know you can help everyone, but don’t waste your energy. Focus on giving amazing results to your people and they will spread your story and convince their friends.
Your Customers are not people you don’t like
If timid people drive you crazy, or out going people suck your energy, don’t work to attract them. This is where authenticity is important. If you speak with your voice and don’t try to portray yourself as something you are not, you will attract the people who are attracted to you.
I don’t like loud noise. I avoid places that play loud music. They are usually filled with people talking loudly and excitedly. I leave exhausted. I’m looking for places where the music, if there is any, is quiet. Where people talk quietly. If that’s what you like, do that.
Your customers are not people who can’t afford what you charge
I remember one time giving a customer who couldn’t afford my bookkeeping services a break when CRA came knocking on his door. He showed up a couple of weeks later with a new truck.
The reality is that for the most part, if someone says they can’t afford you, there is something else going on. If they want you, they will find a way. There have been times in my life when I couldn’t afford things, and if I really wanted them, I offered value in exchange for any discount.
Now, I price for what I feel I’m worth and my target customers are willing to pay. If I want to help others who have a hard time accessing my services at that price, I offer them alternatives or if I give them a discount, they know it and I negotiate some value in exchange.
You can help people by offering free resources like blog posts, or worksheets you have on your website. You can do a series of videos lessons to give away or sell for a lower price. You can offer bulk discounts, and allow several people to go in together to access them. You can offer a limited number of cheaper spaces at a time that is convenient for you. You can offer to let other customers sponsor people.
There are lots of ways to help people work with you, but you need to start from what you are worth, not what you think people can afford.
So, who are your customers?
They are the people you love to work with, who ‘get’ what you do, are happy to pay you what you are worth and can access what you offer where you offer it.