That looks great on you!

Six words that inspired me to buy a brand new jacket at Costco. Understand that I am NOT an impulse shopper, I have to try lots of things on usually, to be satisfied with putting my hard-earned money down on a clothing item. Especially a winter jacket that is only worn out of sheer necessity, due to residing in the cold Midwest.

I had a lovely “Under Armor” teal jacket with a fleece insert that I have been wearing for years, and it was always warm enough. However, this year, the POLAR Vortex was responsible for me being cold, no matter where I went. I needed something warmer…but where would I ever find something that made me feel as special as my teal/peacock/royal blue coat? That coat was practically part of my branding…since it matched all the colors of my logo…and produced all kinds of compliments on the attractive color combination.

So, in Costco the day after New Year’s, and I saw navy blue Tommy Hilfiger winter jackets. I remember what the Wolfe brothers taught me about blue…that it is the most-liked color on the planet and blue designs tend to sell better at fairs and festivals more than any other color.

This jacket was impressive: loads of zippered pockets, an inner jacket that was removable (and in red…my second favorite color), lots of secret inner pockets for valuables, and little ribbons on the zippers that made them easy to grab even if your hands were in gloves or mittens. It even had a removable hood and a fleece inner collar. The jacket was a 3-in-1, which meant you could wear the inner jacket alone, the outer jacket alone, or the two together. Which was super warm…due to the added layered insulation.

Even so, I was not convinced the jacket was for me, so I headed over to the mirror, and took a look.

Zipping up the front, I immediately felt more sporty, fun, active, like I was headed out for some serious hiking in the woods. I felt younger…and I don’t know if it was the design of the jacket or the Tommy Hilfiger name subtly embossed in the navy-on-navy sleeve. The trim of the jacket came in at my waistline, but then flared out just slightly to cover the top of my hips. This jacket was actually giving me a waist, when I have not had an indentation in my mid-section for quite some time.

A shopper nearby exclaimed, “That looks great on you!” I swear, she was a total stranger.

I graciously thanked her and felt myself glancing in the mirror one more time thinking: “Man, this does look good on me.” But more importantly, I felt “cooler” wearing it. And as someone who just recently crossed into “senior” status at the movie theatre, being “cooler” is a huge deal for me.
As I began to investigate all the hidden compartments, another shopper asked me, “Is that an Indians jacket?” And that clinched it (baseball pun intended)! I was buying this jacket and taking it home so that I could wear it to those early spring games at the ball field, as it matched my cap, my rally towel and my jerseys.

The way I felt in those moments in Costco were key to the designer who made this jacket. I am not a “designer label” girl, in fact, I specifically avoid wearing branded clothing that costs more for the label. But I felt good in this jacket. I saw myself as a different person when I was wearing it. Someone active, stronger, younger, and more fit. The person who I wanted to be!

How much time do you spend trying to understand Your Ideal Customer? The person who benefits the most from your services ?

It is super important to understand what drives their actions as they are looking for an entertainer…or deciding on the theme for their event. How do they want to feel when they are planning the party? How do they feel when they are at the party? What memories do they want to have when the party is over?

It is these emotions that make our customers choose the type of entertainment and the specific entertainer that will make their party EXACTLY what they want! The more you know about them, what makes them tick, what drives their decisions, and how they want to feel before, during and after their event, the easier it is to match your skills and personality to their needs.

Wouldn’t it be nice if NO OTHER entertainer could make the feel they way they want to feel? Just you, it’s all YOU!

Marketing a small business today is not about getting in front of the most people, being first on Google, or having a web site that contains every sophisticated upgrade. It is about being a perfect match to the customer’s wants and needs, about bringing the perfect solution to their problem. It’s about making them feel the success they will achieve if they hire you.
If you focus more on the customer, who they are and what they need, it will be easier to express why you, and only you, can solve their problems and enhance their dream event.

I developed a handy form to help you define your ideal client’s characteristics, needs and wants. Click here to download.