In business, we don’t want to waste time. As marketers, we need to quickly recognize the type of person and deal with them appropriately.

• Should you be formal or friendly?
• What can you do for them?
• What can they do for you?
• Are they valuable in any way?
• How can they harm your business?

We need to attract the right new contacts, determine if each is appropriate, manage them efficiently and avoid problems.

A variety of sources had different definitions

Avatar: “a little fiction that helps us understand who our ideal customers are so can more easily find them.” That description is from Forbes. An avatar could have 25 separate points to communicate a clear idea of the qualities to look for. Then, based on those qualities, even junior staff with some training will know how to effectively manage a new contact

Client Profile: Who to attract; who to avoid; demographics (characteristics we can easily measure, such as age, income, sex etc.; psychographics, such as aggressive, introvert, old-fashioned etc; and behavioral such as highly social, curious etc

Persona: These can be simple descriptions, such as techy, visual learner, promoter or another short phrase. Wikipedia says a persona is a segment or group of clients so the company can focus its efforts.

Generally, the persona seems to be a simple title, whereas an avatar or profile has much more detail.

Another way to frame these ideas: is the potential client a strategic buyer (management), user/recommender (end user of the services), financial buyer (finance) or a technical buyer (someone who considers how to fit the service in with operations)?

Sample avatar or profile

Erica Sales Executive is 44 years old, has worked with her employer for 10 years, manages a team of 6 and is responsible for a budget of $10 million in sales each year. She is well educated, very connected in business and socially, and is always open to new opportunities. Erica is very good at separating her personal life from business and works efficiently.

• Technical skills and understanding
• Decision process and speed
• Potential as a recommendation within the business and referral for other businesses

Try to put more detail in the description: it really helps to role-play the new contact’s interactions throughout your organization.

People To Avoid

If time-wasters, high service/low profit and trouble-makers can be identified quickly, then profits can be boosted by avoiding problems. We have all experienced the client-from-hell. They eat up time, reduce morale and write bad reviews. Do all of your personnel know how to recognize problems and inform your team?

Wrong Client Profiles

If you can identify 1-3 key factors to watch out and avoid, then your team will be very thankful. These could be people who focus on fees/pricing too quickly, someone who quickly compares your services to competitors in early conversations and who talk a lot about themselves.

Add as much detail to the description as is useful in:

• developing a service
• detailing the fees, extras and options which fit
• packaging and promoting it with the right communications and media
• targeting it to the right people.

Targeting By Type

Not all clients can be treated the same way: of course! And yet too many organizations will have a list of services that does not appeal to different types of clients.

If a young and aggressive decision-maker can be recognized quickly, then the right type of language, services and success stories will make a difference.

If a referral partner never buys from you, and yet can be accurately described, they too will feel your operation is very responsive to them.

Developing A Profile

First, consider your existing and recent clients. Maybe 70% can be put into 2 or more different groups.

What does each profile have exclusively when compared to others?

How does each profile need to be managed?

Does everyone in your business understand each profile, and know how to treat each differently?

Over time, the avatars, personas and profiles will be improved.

Your marketing results will greatly improve with less waste and above-average new clients.

And each contact and client will feel they are being treated in a personal way.