#239 - Stop Casting a Wide Net: How to Hook Your Ideal Clients Online (Without Wasting Your Bait)

Welcome to Digital Marketing Made Simple. If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur seeking advice on creating a profitable online business, look no further than your host Jenny Lyon, founder of Jenny Lyon Digital Marketing and Virtual Assistant Services, award-winning writer and 20-year digital marketing expert. For many people, creating a profitable online business is the dream, yet they struggle and they don't have to. Each week, we'll share some of our best digital marketing tips, practices, and strategies to get you optimal results.

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So you've probably heard marketers talk about fishing for clients. I know you have because it's something that I say a lot. And it's really a popular metaphor because it sounds simple. If you cast this net that's really wide, you'll catch a lot of fish, right?

And fill your business up with clients. Well, not quite, because here's the truth. Most people that use that saying have probably never fished. I have.

I grew up in Utah fishing with my parents. I have spent tons of time on the water in Montana with our best friends and even here in North Carolina. and even fished the Keys, Florida Keys with my husband. But you know how many fish that I've caught in my life?

Zero. Zero. Yes. So true.

And so while I might not be a master angler, I do know how to attract clients. And just like fishing, marketing really requires patience, precision, and the right strategy. Hello and welcome to another episode of Digital Marketing Made Simple. I'm your host Jenny Lyon and today I want to talk about how you need to stop casting a wide net and instead how to hook your ideal clients online without wasting your bait All right so if we jump right into it and start talking about you know what does this mean to stop casting a really wide net and to start catching the right fish or clients right So step one is to really forget about the wide net.

I know that seems odd and, you know, I understand that. I hear it a lot from clients, but you really need to focus on fishing in the right pond. If you think about big brands, if you think about like Coca-Cola or Nike, these types of businesses can really afford to cast a really wide net. They have the budget to be everywhere all at once, from TV to billboards to different types of ads on social media.

But for small business owners like ourselves, that kind of marketing, it's not realistic. You know, so trying to reach everyone, that often means connecting with no one. So instead, that's where you really want to focus in on the right pond. So start by asking yourself, you know, where does my ideal client spend their time online?

What types of content are they already engaging with? And what specific problem are they trying to solve? When you really narrow down that focus, your message gets sharper. It gets more effective.

And then in turn, you spend less money and you attract more of your ideal clients who are ready to work with you. The next step is to know your fish, right? Who is your ideal client? You know, you can't catch a marlin with trout bait.

And in marketing, you know, that means you really need to understand your audience deeply before you even start creating content or running ads. So this is where you want to ask yourself, what does my ideal client value most? What are they really struggling with right now? What transformation are they seeking?

When you kind of clearly picture your ideal client, then you really will start to understand what kind of bait will attract them. So your messaging becomes really personal, your tone becomes really confident, and your results improve over time. So I have a lot of free resources on the website, but I'm thinking about one in particular where you can really dial in on who your ideal client is, and you can grab it at JennyLyon.com forward slash ICA and it a template to help you map out who your ideal client is The next step is really to use the right bait and keep it fresh So even when you are fishing in the right pond you still have to bait.

And in marketing, your bait is your content. You know, your content needs to educate, inspire, or solve a problem. You know, it should help your audience trust you before they ever buy anything from you. So what works really well is content like educational content, something that gives them a quick win or gives them some sort of really clear value.

It could also be behind the scenes type content, you know, content that really humanizes you and your brand. It could be lead magnets, you know, it could be something like a checklist, a workbook, a template, something like that. But you want to keep your content current. So make sure that you're updating your content.

If you have blogs, go back, update them, refresh that old content, repurpose it. You know, you can repurpose things like your client success stories into videos or newsletters. But the idea is to be consistent because consistency really keeps your audience engaged and positions you as an authority in your field. Next is to build relationships.

And one of the best ways to do that is with emails and lead magnets. So as I've said a million times, you know, your email list is really one of the best tools that you have for building relationships with potential clients. And so something like a strong lead magnet will really attract those new subscribers, you know, and those consistent helpful emails that you're sending out to nurture them will also keep them engaged. So you can start if you don't have something, just start with something simple.

Do like a three-step sequence where you have a lead magnet, they opt in, they get a welcome email that introduces you, your brand, and shares whatever it was they signed up for and what they can expect next. Then send them a second email, maybe a quick win email, something that's short, actionable and that they can put into play in their business right away. And then the final email can be an invitation email where you're inviting them to take that natural next step. Maybe it's scheduling a free consultation with you.

Maybe it's downloading another resource. But if you need help with creating whatever that free lead magnet is, then again, jump over to the website We have our Identify Your Core Lead Magnet Workbook you can grab it at JennyLyon forward slash lead magnet And then the next step is to stay consistent and then really adapt to the currents You know, phishing and marketing both do require persistence and you have to be adaptable. You can't expect results from one cast. You know, you have to keep showing up, testing, refining.

So I really do encourage you to set time aside every single week to track what's working. Which posts or which emails are getting the most engagement? Which topics or services seem to generate interest? Where are your leads coming from?

You know, if something isn't working, adjust. Try something else. Try a new topic, a new platform, even a new approach. when you really commit to being consistent, you really start to see that visibility grow over time.

And marketing, especially smart marketing, is really about strategy. It's not about luck. You know, you definitely don't have to market to everyone. I can tell you this.

I've been doing this for a very long time. You just need to market to the right people. And when you know who that ideal client is, where to find them, what to offer them, then your marketing really becomes very intentional and effective. And if you do need help with building out your strategy, then please reach out.

We'd love to chat. You can always schedule a free consultation at jennylion.com forward slash chat. And we can really go through and look at your current systems, identify your top opportunities, and really give you custom recommendations to help you attract the right clients to your pond.

Okay, well, that's what I have for you this week. I hope that you found it helpful. If so, I would love to hear about it. Shoot me an email.

You know, I'd love to hear how your marketing's going. And of course, if you do need any help, we're here. Just reach out and I'll see you next time on another episode of Digital Marketing Made Simple. See you soon.

thank you for tuning in if you enjoyed this episode please make sure to click the subscribe button wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode and while you're there please leave a review if you want to connect with jenny you can find her at jennylion.