Who is your ideal customer?

If you’re starting a crochet business, one of the most important things you can do is identify your ideal customer. This is something I wish I had thought more about in the early stages of seeing up Jack’s Yarn. Knowing who your ideal customer is will help you tailor your marketing efforts, create products that meet their needs, and ultimately, grow your business.

In my business I started my business selling both finished crochet pieces and patterns. I had thought about my ideal customer in terms of someone who loves cats and cosy handmade items. What I hadn’t realised was that people who buy crochet items and people who buy crochet patterns are two different people!! To generalise, people who buy crochet pieces do so because they don’t or can’t crochet themselves. And people who buy patterns are unlikely to buy finished pieces, as they’ll just make their own! So I have two ideal customers, which isn’t ideal!! I still haven’t worked out exactly what I want to about that yet. Some people separate out their businesses, others focus on just one.

Here are some tips to get started thinking about your ideal customer:

1. Look at your current customers: If you already have customers, take a closer look at who they are. What are their demographics, interests, and buying habits? Use this information to create a customer profile that represents your ideal customer.
2. Consider your product or service: What problem does your crochet product solve? Who needs this solution? For example, if you sell handmade baby blankets, your ideal customer might be new mothers or grandparents looking for a special gift.
3. Look at the market: Who is your competition targeting? What are they doing well, and where are there gaps in the market that you can fill? Use this information to differentiate yourself and target a specific niche.
4. Create a customer persona: Once you have a good understanding of your ideal customer, create a customer persona. This is a fictional representation of your ideal customer, including their demographics, interests, and buying habits. Use this persona to guide your marketing efforts, product development, and customer service.
5. Test and refine: As your business grows and evolves, your ideal customer may change. Continually test and refine your customer persona to ensure that you’re targeting the right people and meeting their needs.

In conclusion, identifying your ideal customer is an important step in building a successful crochet business. Take the time to research and create a customer persona that represents your ideal customer, and use this persona to guide your marketing efforts and product development. With the right approach, you can build a loyal customer base and grow your business. Good luck!