{"id":725,"date":"2022-04-08T06:33:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T22:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tomwatkin.com\/?p=725"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:43:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T08:43:46","slug":"the-most-powerful-question-who-are-your-customers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tomwatkin.com\/?p=725","title":{"rendered":"The Most Powerful Question: Who Are Your Customers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Who are your customers?<\/strong> is a critical question for every business. I remember starting my first day with an environmental services company as their State Manager. A leadership and business development role that was outside my previous water focused expertise. This was an exciting posting, and I was looking forward to building on the existing customer base. Enthusiastically, I sat down with the small team and asked the question: \u201cWho are our customers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was met with blank stares. I was falteringly told that they had once met with two or three companies, at which point they stuttered back into silence. Not the greatest of starts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recognized that there were two ways to respond. First, I could hang my head in despair, throw my hands in the air and admit defeat. Or I could see this as an excellent opportunity to define what our ideal customers looked like. I could identify the low hanging fruit and take action. Of course, I chose action<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have the best product in the world and not be able to sell it. You need a willing buyer. The start-up scene is littered with the husks of companies that developed great products that nobody wanted. Effectively it boils down to one simple fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is no Customer there is no Product or Service.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A company is nothing without customers who use its services or products. Each company has an ideal customer. The characteristics of this customer has to be defined. Each characteristic must be rated in terms of importance to your business and the direction of your future business development growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No customer, means no business. Photo by Aldolfo Felix for Unsplash.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Who is Your Ideal Customer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, picture what an ideal customer looks like. Who would you love to do business with? Give this some serious thought. Next, dive deep into the characteristics that make up the companies that you aspire to do business with. Ask yourself and the team the following questions to help define your perfect customer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n