I have a client who is in a panic because sales are slow and one big customer appears to be re-trenching. When I asked, "Who buys your product? Why? Who are your competitors? How are you different, better and smarter than them?", my client was stuck.

Before knowing how to make money from your business, you do need a clear picture of your customers.

Who buys from you?

So we brainstormed who his customers are:

1. What do they look like? Age, gender, culture, language.
2. How much are they worth? Disposable income, comfortable purchase sizes, spending patterns.
3. Where can you find them? Location, accessibility, meeting places, habitual associations.

As our picture emerged he learnt how to recognise customers on sight.

When can you reach your customers?

Next we looked at timing, when customers are happy to read his marketing materials, ready to listen, want to meet him, and prepared to buy.

We asked previous customers why they bought from him, what benefits they recognised, which advantages they enjoyed and how they would encourage other buyers.

Finally, my client said, "Now I have a clear view of my customers, I feel ready to sell to them."

How to keep people buying?

Trying to equip my client with a 'maintenance kit': I asked, "How are you going to build this into your daily sales activity? The assessment of who your customers are, why they buy, and how you can reach them?"

For a moment, my client stood with his mouth open. "Well I will talk to them regularly, so I can spot market changes I need to follow." I wonder if my coaching worked.