Be Magnetic to Some… Repel the Rest

“So here’s the deal. We definitely want our website to attract the right customers. But… well… I’m not really sure how to say this… but we kind of want it to keep the wrong customers away.”

That is a quick paraphrase of a conversation we had earlier this week with a client. We could not have been more excited to hear these words. I was personally giddy.

You see, we’ve brought this up to clients in the past. The idea is simple. You want your marketing to be magnetic to your perfect customer personas. It should draw them in and hold their attention tightly. They should immediately feel like they’re in the right place, like you get them. They should feel comfortable.

This is where this concept gets uncomfortable for many… Often, it’s where we hear push-back…

As much as your marketing should be magnetic to the right customers, it can and should repel the wrong ones. Repel them… as in let them know they’re in the wrong spot. It should make them feel uncomfortable. It should get their attention and then push them away quickly.

Woah…

When we explain this to customers and prospects, there is often some hesitation. “Yes, but… I mean… they might be a good fit. Or, maybe if we’re lucky, they know someone who is. I mean, we don’t want to push away opportunities.”

We used to think and speak like that. As we’ve shared in past blog posts, just after we launched OrangeBall, we had a mentor ask us who our perfect customer was. Without a second thought, we blurted out confidently, “Everyone! We can serve everyone!”

His response changed how we saw everything in our business.

“That is the worst answer you could have given to that question. You may be able to serve everyone, but do you want to? No. You can’t be everything to everyone… You need to get clear on who you want to serve. It’s not everyone.”

And that, friends, is why being repellent to customers who aren’t the right fit for your business, product, or service is so important. You need to have a well-defined concept of what your perfect customer looks like and an equally well-defined picture of the customers you want to repel. It’s not everyone.

You learn this over time. Certain customers appreciate what you bring to the table. They’re aware that your time and energy are valuable. They’re able to pay what you’re worth. They share your values.

Those are the customers you want to attract more of.

On the flip side, certain customers undervalue what you’re offering. Others like to waste your time and energy. Some don’t have the resources to pay what you’re worth. Others don’t share the same values you do.

As you read that, there were likely some faces that popped into your head. Those are the ones you should start working to repel.

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Define it. What customers do we want to attract more of, and who would we like to repel? This will require some bold thinking, and at its core, it begins with having a high level of confidence and respect for yourself, your team, and your business. Value yourself first. Then, go be magnetic to people who value you as well… and repel the rest.