I finally figured it out! You can officially throw away your “ideal client/customer avatar” worksheets now because you don’t need them anymore! They don’t focus on what’s most important for you to know about your actual ideal, PREMIUM clients, which makes them a giant waste of time.
Additionally, I believe they keep many of us stuck because they ask us to think like someone else, or to get inside someone else’s mind.
We’re not spending any of our time on pointless tasks that hold us back from moving forward because we know they keep us from building momentum and serving the people who need us. Right?

How to Identify Your REAL Ideal, PREMIUM Clients
Am I hitting the premium too hard? Because it’s really important to make that distinction.
If you want to grow & scale your business, you need a premium service or program, at a premium investment price that appeals to high level leads with premium mindsets.
But it’s more than that. Their mindset is only one dimension, and in my opinion, it’s probably the easiest one to get a handle on because some things are universal.
For instance, a “premium mindset” includes growth & investor mindsets, but to put it simply, you just want someone who sees the value in what you do, and is willing to invest in the transformation they want that you can guide them to.
And here are two more key elements. They have to:
- Recognize that they have the problems you solve,
- WANT solutions to their problems.
The rest is a lot more personal, so let’s get into it…

Here’s my hot take: Until you know who YOU are, you can’t possibly know who your ideal, premium clients are. That’s it. You need to know your superpower, your most dominant learning style, the characteristics in the people you like to surround yourself with, & who gets the best results from working with you.
On a personal note, I think the reason I had so much trouble identifying my own REAL ideal clients at first was that all of the gurus & other coaches I was following, including my own coach at the time, were teaching that you need to understand & “think like your ideal client.”
But that was a real sticking point for me because I didn’t really know how to do that. I’ve never known how to think like someone else. I can only think like myself, and I’m a total weirdo, so how was I supposed to read their thoughts?
Also, we all have literally thousands, if not tens of thousands, of ideal clients out there in the world. Hell, maybe even more than that depending on your niche! How can you possibly get inside all those minds?
Then suddenly one day, it just sort of clicked for me…
An “ideal client” isn’t some kind of weird construct that you “figure out” from the outside, so you can write down a bunch of made up stats on an ICA worksheet. You don’t have to make guesses about their education level, marital status, what college they went to, their income tax bracket, gender, hair color, do they like The Sound of Music, etc.
Because when it comes right down to it, your ideal, PREMIUM clients are not that complicated to figure out, but most coaches tell you to concentrate on all the wrong things, so allow me to simplify and demystify the process for you.
Your DREAM Clients Consist of 4 Major Components

- They have the problems that you solve & want the transformation you provide by solving those problems in the way that you solve them.
- They have the aforementioned mindset of an ideal, PREMIUM client.
- They are the kind of person you get along with & can see yourself working closely with long-term.
- They are the kind of person who can get the results they want from working with you.
Like I said, the last two are quite personal to each individual and their business. However, none of this involves getting to know a fictional character that you invented.
Once you’ve established that they do have the problems you can solve, want the results of your solutions, and have the right mindset to get them, it’s time to get inside YOUR mind to find out if they’re your ideal client.
First, ask yourself: “Was I once my own current ideal client?”
Chances are, that’s a big YES. It is for me at least! Because of my niche & mission, my past self is 100% my current ideal client.
This isn’t a “must” but it does make it easier to know how to talk to them if you can just think back to where you were 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years ago.
Next, ask yourself: “What character traits are non-negotiable for my dream clients to have?”
You want to find clients that are a match for YOU!
You are going to attract clients who are aligned with you by being 100% yourself. Always. TRUE authenticity is vital.
Now, ask yourself: “What characteristics, values, beliefs, goals, desires, & missions do I have in common with my absolute dream clients?”
So think of your own characteristics, values, beliefs, & so on. What types of people are you compatible or congruent with?
Do not ever change who you are to attract and close clients. Change the clients you attract and convert by being true to who you are! I cannot stress this enough! (Refer back to my superpowers post for more on my take on genuine authenticity.)
Then, ask yourself: “What’s going on in their life right now, or what has happened in the past, that has created the challenge they want to overcome, or their desire for a transformation?
Perhaps you can relate with them on this level, too. This one is highly dependent upon your niche or industry, though.
For instance, were they abused as a child? Do they have weight they can’t keep off? Are they trying to earn a living at home AND homeschool their kids at the same time due to the pandemic? Are they having trouble homeschooling their kids?
What are they dealing with right now that they are willing to pay to avoid or have solved that your service, course, or program can help them with?
They have to be willing to make an investment to have the results or transformation they want, so think about their reason for avoiding, solving, or overcoming this challenge & why it’s important to them right now.
But, you have to dive deeper than the surface-level wants or needs.
It’s not enough to say things like: “I help people feel happier,” or “make more money,” or “have better relationships,” for example.
You want to touch them on an emotional level & hit ‘em in the feels, so be sure to speak to their desire to avoid something painful, reach a desired outcome, or have a particular experience in your messaging. Talk about the emotions around what they want.
What does the pleasure of alleviating their pain point feel like?
And what are the benefits of the benefits?
Now we’re really getting somewhere. Dig even deeper, and speak to the benefits of the benefits, because that’s where they are going to be willing to invest their time & money.
Here’s what I mean. Think about all of the benefits of having a happier life (if that’s your niche). What does a happier life look like?
Or what will making more money allow them to do?
What are the benefits of having better relationships?
See where I’m going with this? Drill down as much as possible – what are the benefits of the benefits, and even the benefits of those? Go as deep as you possibly can because that’s where you’ll strike gold!
Remember, you’re not selling a service, strategy, or system. You’re actually selling the outcome of the service, strategy or system, the experience you create for their journey from “point a” to “point b,” the transformation you guide them to & the FEELING of having it!
Now think about this…
Why are YOU specifically the one who can get them there from where they are now?
For example, have you avoided, solved, or overcome what they are seeking to avoid, solve, or overcome? (Again, are YOU your own ideal, premium client?)
Don’t try to get them to understand why YOU’RE THE ONE who can help them, though. Instead, make them feel UNDERSTOOD by you. That’s when they’ll know you are the one they want to work with.
This may also go back to your superpower. What do you do differently than everyone else in your niche or industry that your dream clients resonate with? (Remember not to over complicate this. They are like you, so look no further than that. Your DREAM clients will resonate with your superpower.)
Finally, ask yourself: “What are their past or current fears, beliefs, & resistances that I may need to guide them through to get them to make a buying decision?”
The goal should always be to overcome objections with your content, so you don’t have to do it during a call.
Think about some objections you may need to help guide them through to make the investment in having the transformation they want, so you can include that in your magnetic messaging.
Are they scared because of previous investments they’ve made that didn’t result in a return?
Are they afraid to invest in themselves because they have false, limiting beliefs about their abilities, success, money, etc.?
Do they think they don’t have the time?
Do they think they don’t deserve the transformation they want?
Do they think they “can’t afford it”?
Let’s be real, though, some money objections are legit, and we don’t ever want to be insensitive. There are also some issues of privilege to get into here, but that’s a topic for another post.
Overall, it really bothers me when other coaches & mentors say that people can find the money if they want to or if it’s important enough to them, because that hasn’t been my reality for most of my life.
Some people are genuinely living in poverty, for example, or an abusive relationship, & they literally don’t have the means, funds, budget, or freedom to do what they need to do, let alone what they want to do, and it’s not their fault.
This is why I like to offer as much valuable, FREE, needle-moving content as possible. For those who want the transformation but have significant struggles in getting there due to finances or other circumstances that are currently beyond their control. I understand their plight in a way that most coaches & mentors don’t seem to.
And that’s the reason I’m so passionate about helping others overcome whatever is holding them back, even if they never actually work with me or buy anything from me.
My first priority is always to serve & help as many people as I can. But that’s why it was so important for me to identify my ideal, PREMIUM clients. So I can continue to serve at the highest level possible.
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Pragmatic dreamer & founder of d6Collab; holistic business strategist, coach, & mentor; web designer & front-end developer; WordPress expert; & hurricane in general, known as elle. I empower YOU to build, grow, & SCALE your business using the simplest, fastest, most effective & aligned methods, so you can rapidly create the time & financial freedom you need to change the world!