Here's the problem with most businesses: they're trying to sell everything to everybody.
Kate ran a commercial construction company in Los Angeles. Great work. Great testimonials. When I asked what made her different, she said: "We can do any type of commercial construction."
That sounds impressive. But it's actually killing your business.
When you sell everything to everybody, you're the obvious choice for nobody. You look exactly like every other option. Your prospects can't tell why they should pick you over the three other companies they're considering.
The fix? Stop trying to appeal to everyone. Find your perfect client. Then build everything around serving them.
The Construction Company That Tried to Do It All
Kate's firm could handle anything. New buildings from the ground up. Renovations. Office build-outs. Retail spaces. You name it.
But when I asked about her favorite projects, her eyes lit up. Office build-outs. When a growing law firm or accounting practice needs to move into a bigger space and design it specifically for how they work.
She loved these projects. She'd developed expertise in them. Her team knew how to handle them perfectly.
So why was she marketing her company as "we do everything"?
Because she thought casting a wider net would bring in more business. That's what everyone thinks.
They're wrong.
Your Real Customer vs. Who You Think Your Customer Is
WD-40 was invented for missiles. In 1953, Rocket Chemical Company created it to keep rocket and missile parts from seizing up. It was meant for aerospace contractors and the military.
Then employees at an aerospace plant started sneaking cans home. They used it on stuck bolts, rusty bike chains, squeaky door hinges. The founder noticed this and decided to test it on store shelves in San Diego.
In less than two years, the company doubled in size. By 1969, they renamed themselves WD-40. Today, four out of five American households have a can.
The company thought their customer was the Department of Defense. Turns out, their perfect client was a DIY homeowner with a garage full of projects.
Same thing happened with Wrigley. They manufactured soap and baking soda. They gave away chewing gum as a promotional tool. Then they realized people wanted the free gum more than the actual product. They pivoted. Now they're the largest gum producer in the world.
Your company is probably perfect for a certain type of person. And that person might not be who you expect.
The Difference Between Keith and Karen
Back to Kate and her construction company. I asked who her favorite client was. She picked office managers at growing professional firms. People in charge of office moves and build-outs who wanted everything handled perfectly.
Lion's Landscaping in Baton Rouge had a similar breakthrough. I asked Luis and Ulysses about their favorite customer. They immediately named Keith.
Keith knows what he wants. He's open to advice. He values quality over getting the cheapest price. He understands landscaping is an ongoing project, not a one-time thing. He plans ahead. He refers friends and family.
Working with Keith is a dream.
Then there's Karen. She lives right next door to Keith. Same demographics. Same income. Same neighborhood. Same age. Their kids go to the same school.
But Karen is a nightmare. She wants what she wants, and she wants it now. She demands discounts. She's never happy. She complains constantly.
Do you want ten Keiths? Or ten Karens?
Here's what happens when you market to everyone: you attract just as many Karens as you do Keiths. Maybe more Karens, because Keiths are doing their research and being selective.
When you focus your marketing on Keith, you repel Karen. That's a good thing.
The Three Layers of Your Perfect Client
To find your perfect client, you need three things: demographics, geography, and psychographics.
Demographics are the "what." Age. Income. Education. Job title. For Lion's Landscaping, their Keiths are homeowners, married, ages 30 to 60, affluent, established in their careers.
Geography is the "where." Lion's serves Greater Baton Rouge. Kate served Los Angeles. You can't help someone in Philadelphia if you only work in Chicago.
But psychographics are the missing piece. This is the "why." How do they think? What do they value? What makes them tick?
Keith's psychographics: Getting what he wants matters more than price. He's value-oriented, not price-oriented. Landscaping is an ongoing relationship, not a transaction. He plays the long game. He's decisive but collaborative. He wants a partner, not just a vendor.
If Lion's went strictly by demographics, they'd market to every affluent homeowner in Baton Rouge. But that includes people whose parents taught them to pinch every penny. People who see landscaping as an expense, not an investment.
Knowing Keith's psychographics means Lion's can craft messages that attract more Keiths and fewer Karens. They showcase long-term customer relationships. They emphasize their collaborative design process. They bundle projects with annual maintenance.
People like Keith read that and think: "This is for me." Karen reads it and moves on. Perfect.
The Laser vs. The Light Bulb
The difference between a light bulb and a laser is focus.
A light bulb spreads light everywhere. It illuminates a whole room. But it doesn't do anything special.
A laser focuses all its energy on a single point. It can cut through steel.
Without focus, your marketing is a light bulb. You're trying to reach everyone, so you connect with no one. You diffuse your energy across too wide an area.
With focus, your marketing becomes a laser. You speak directly to your perfect client's needs, problems, and desires. Your message cuts through all the noise.
For Kate, focusing on office managers doing build-outs meant she could speak their language. She could address their specific fears: finishing on time, staying on budget, keeping the attorneys happy, avoiding the punch list nightmare.
Her competitors were still saying "we do all types of commercial construction." Kate was saying "Love Your New Office From Day One."
Which message do you think the office manager remembered?
How to Find Your Perfect Client Right Now
Stop guessing. Start with data.
Look at your current customer list. Who do you love working with? Not who spends the most money. Who makes your day better when they call?
Pick your top three favorite clients. Write down everything about them:
- What do they have in common?
- How do they think?
- What do they value?
- Why do they work with you instead of your competitors?
- What problems were they trying to solve when they found you?
Now look at your worst clients. The ones who drain your energy. The constant complainers. The ones who nickel and dime you.
What do they have in common? How are they different from your best clients?
That contrast shows you exactly who to market to and who to avoid.
What Focusing Actually Does for Your Business
Lion's Landscaping was stuck competing with every other landscaper in Baton Rouge. Luis and Ulysses were talented, but they looked like everyone else.
After we identified Keith as their perfect client, everything changed. They created the L.I.O.N.S. process. They crafted messaging that spoke directly to people like Keith. They focused their entire operation on serving customers who valued quality, collaboration, and ongoing relationships.
Result? Their close rate went up. Their average project size increased. Their referrals exploded. And they stopped attracting the customers who made their lives miserable.
Kate had the same experience. Once she focused on office build-outs for office managers, she could differentiate herself with the Zero Punch List Countdown. Her close rate on those projects went through the roof. She started getting better quality leads. And she was working on the projects she actually enjoyed.
That's what focus does. It doesn't shrink your business. It grows it.
The Math That Matters
Let's say you're getting 10 leads a month and closing 2. That's a 20% close rate. You're making $100,000 a month.
You think: "If I can appeal to more people, I'll get more leads."
Wrong approach.
Instead, you identify your perfect client. You craft your message to speak directly to them. You repel the people who aren't a good fit.
Now you're getting 8 leads a month instead of 10. But you're closing 4 instead of 2. That's a 50% close rate.
You just doubled your revenue. And you're working with better clients who refer more business, pay on time, and don't make your life hell.
That's the power of focus.
Stop Trying to Be Everything
You can't be the obvious choice when you're selling everything to everybody. You're just another option in a sea of sameness.
Find your Keith. Understand what makes them different from Karen. Build your entire marketing strategy around attracting more Keiths.
Will you lose some business? Maybe. You'll lose the Karens. Good riddance.
Will you make more money? Absolutely. You'll close more deals, charge higher prices, get better referrals, and work with people you actually enjoy serving.
Your perfect client is out there right now. They're searching for someone who understands their specific problems and can solve them in a way nobody else can.
Stop trying to be all things to all people. Be the perfect solution for the right people.
That's how you become the obvious choice.
