You now have some basic sales goals, so where are those sales going to originate?  Who will benefit most from your product or service?  What do your ideal clients have in common?

I hope you noticed I have started this process from a backward perspective.  I have started with the outcome I desire, sales.   Then I figure out how to get the sales.  I am going to assume you have the production capability and cash flow to provide enough service or product to meet your sales goals.  It may or may not be true, but I am going to make the assumption, for now, anyway. 

My focus, at least early on, is on sales.   Describe your ideal client.  Specifically, what benefit will you provide to them or what problem will you solve for them? 

Make a list of prospective clients.  It is best to list actual names of companies or specific industries if you are pursuing business to business income.    Create a list of as much demographic information as you can if you are planning to pursue individual consumers. 

Now try to group your list by similar traits.  Rather than just blindly advertising, you will want to specifically try to attract one niche at a time.  So you have to clearly define your niche.  This may all require some investigation.

For example, my first business was insurance claims adjusting.  I had just recently moved to the area and didn’t even know which insurance companies were being written in the area or which ones might be willing to use independent claims adjusters.  So, my first step was to go out and meet, or at least call, the independent insurance agents in town (and surrounding towns).  They were not going to be my customers, but they knew who my customers could be and they knew how to contact them. 

I asked each agent for a list of their largest insurance companies that they write on a regular basis.  Then I asked if the companies had local staff adjusters, serviced the clients from a nearby location, or used independent contractors to inspect losses. 

I created a master list of all the companies, but then I highlighted the companies that actually used independent contractors so that I could target that niche.  I also tried to get referrals from the agents with regard to the claims managers, so when I called them I already at least had part of my foot in the door. 

So the steps to creating your target market include;

1. Understanding what benefits you provide or problems you solve
2. Defining the preferred client
3. Making a list of the potential clients
4. Listing companies, people, or other common characteristics that might help you locate and communicate with the preferred client.