A couple days ago, I came across an article that made me smile. And think. Boy, oh boy, am I dangerous when I think! Wild ideas! Absurd ideas! Sometimes I even think about crazy things…like doing laundry. But that's usually short lived.

I came across an article on creating a cult following on Abdpbt, using Trader Joe's as an example. And let's not revisit the issue of my undying love for TJ's…we get it…I'm smitten. And have probably spent a large part of my 401k buying hummus and unsalted almonds, but that's for another blog post. The writer, Anna, breaks down how Trader Joe's built a business cult following into five steps and is an enjoyable read.

Beyond it's readability and awareness, it made me realize I needed to reevaluate my detailed portrait of an ideal client, much like what Trader Joe's has successfully done. In order to push my brand forward, I need to know my client. Like, really, really understand what she wants and how I can best suit her needs. In doing so, we're both happier–she, with a photographer who understands her unstated needs, and, me, working with a client who trusts me implicitly. I've realized this is the core of my business: Creating happy brides who not only become fans of my brand, but, rather, fanatics. People who promote my business as a division of their day-to-day conversation. This is priceless. But, furthermore, this is something any photographer can do for his/her business.

Amongst many other things, I reconfirmed my magazine-inspiration as a way to attract J* Brides. Why? Because that's what makes me tick…makes me happy…makes me hungry to create. Clients who aren't models but who want to look like they walked off a glossy page. Clients who love like I do. Clients who want to have fun and feel fabulous. These are things I already know, but reading the article made me sit down and rethink the many components of my ideal client (most of which aren't mentioned in this blog post).

Here's a snapshot of an inspiration board I have in my office. It's comprised of magazine ads I've fallen in love with and want to–hopefully–loosely recreate in the near future. Surrounding myself with editorial inspiration has made the biggest difference in how I see the world and I hope my clients feel it too.

As I'm booking 2010 clients, I'm happy to know I've actively defined my ideal client and if I continue to produce work that she finds appealing, I know I'll be just as happy as I am with my 2009 clients.

Knowing your ideal client, regardless of your line of business, is a key component to growth and satisfaction. Sorry if this blog post came from left-field today, but it's something I've been thinking about for the past few days and I wanted to write it all out. Because that's what I do. I write. I write when I'm trying to process ideas in hopes of greater things in the future.

Happy Sunday! 🙂