by MarkYou fall in love with something that has changed your life. That’s totally normal, and definitely worth celebrating. And guess what? You are uniquely suited to get it out to others. So you take the training, cross your fingers, and pump out a website.
Ta-da! You’re in business!
And you write articles, and blog, and network all about what you do, and chant, and pray, and do whatever you do to bring in clients.
Uh, clients? Yoo-hoo? Where are you?
Why A Business Exists
Before we go to the land of Where the Clients Are, one thing must be set straight. A business exists and thrives because it helps a particular someone with a problem they are facing.
You can do lots of things that worth doing. Art, writing, healing, gardening, cooking, parenting. Lots and lots of amazing things that have no need to be attached to a commercial enterprise and still are fantastically worthwhile. Keep doin’ ‘em!
However, if you want your business to bring in revenue, as in people who are wanting to pay for your products and services, then it needs to help them with some problem. If you help people solve a problem, then you have a business. If you do something because you love it and it’s joyful, then you have an avocation.
Of course, the ideal is to blend the two. But if all you have is the avocation, then you aren’t living in client land.
Let me say that I know you want to help people. And if that’s true, then let’s just define your business a little differently than you may have already.
You don’t have an accounting business. Or a coaching business. Or a design business. Or a food business. Or a…. So then what do you have?
You have a Who-Who-What
The trick is not to define your business by what you do, but by who you serve, and what they are struggling with. I call this the Who-Who-What, because it names two components of Who you are talking to, and it’s explicit about the problem, the What. Demographics, psychographics, and the problem.
Hey, are you paying attention? This may seem a little boring or academic to you, “psychographic-gobble-gobble” but that is precisely why so many businesses struggle.
If you can nail down your Who-Who-What, everything else becomes 1000 times easier. If you don’t nail it down, you just might struggle for years and years.
First, Three Examples
For instance, instead of a relationship or Nonviolent Communication facilitator, you help couples who feel hopeless about getting stuck in arguments and want to communicate with compassion. http://www.wiseheartpdx.org/
Instead of being an acupuncturist, you help/treat children and adults with chronic pain who are looking for lasting pain relief without medications or surgery. http://www.acupuncture.vpweb.com/
Instead of a sustainability consultant, you help business leaders who want to operate sustainably but don’t know how to make it profitable. http://ren-new.blogspot.com/
Now the Three Components
Component One: The Who demographic. A demographic is some observable characteristic or trait. In the examples above, demographics were: “couples,” “children and adults,” and “business leaders.” All three of those characteristics can be verified by witnesses.
Component Two: The Who psychographic. A psychographic is an unobservable identity that is often related to a belief or value. From above, psychographics are “who value compassion in their relationship,” “who want to avoid medications and surgery” and “leaders who want to operate sustainably.”
The psychographic is a little trickier, because it’s not always as blatant. But in each case it’s there if you listen for it.
Component Three: The What. This is the problem the client faces, hopefully in their own words. Our three examples: “hopeless about getting stuck in arguments,” “suffering from chronic pain,” and “don’t know how to make sustainability profitable.”
Well, there you go. Who-Who-What. Easy-peasy, yah? Except… not so easy. Let me give you just a few helping points.
Keys to the Who-Who-What
- This is an incredibly tender process.
In our Opening the Moneyflow 6-month course, the first six weeks are spent working with the Who-Who-What within the Customer Focused Story. And people tend to find that it is a surprisingly tender process.
The issue here is that your business changes from reactive: “I’ll help whoever shows up,” to proactive and planting your flag: “I’m helping *these* people with *this* problem.” It takes strength to do that, yes, and it’s also very vulnerable to take a stand.
Make space for your tenderness as you begin planting your flag with a Who-Who-What.
- Yes, it’s okay to narrow your focus.
The big question everyone asks is: “Aren’t I going to lose clients if I limit who I want to attract?” Here’s the short answer: No.
The slightly longer answer is when you get clear and specific, people respond. And if you have a viable Who-Who-What, a LOT of people will respond. And how many do you need, really, to have a viable business?
Plus, you can’t save the world, y’know? it takes some real humility, but when when we realize that we’re just little people in this big world, then it’s okay to focus on the folks we want to help and trust that everyone else will get the help they need, perhaps elsewhere.
- Everything is in the reaction.
You know you’ve got a solid Who-Who-What when someone says, “Oh, that’s me!” Or, they say, “Really? I know someone who needs to talk to you.”
You do not want to hear, “That’s nice.” Or “How interesting.” An effective Who-Who-What will immediately, without anyone having to do it consciously, bring up faces and names of people who fit.
This is because the Who-Who-What is a name. When you hear your name, you turn your head. Your name wakes you up.
It probably won’t be simple, and you may not get clarity in one afternoon. Yet, if you’re willing to focus in on the incredibly tender process of claiming your Who-Who-What, then everything else, from marketing to strategic decisions, will be so, so much easier.
And the clients will come out of the woodwork.
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44 Comments... Care To Join Us?
Who, who, what. So beautifully simply put. Thank you. I’ve been working with very close versions of this message for years and the way you’ve put it here is the clearest and just sits comfortably with me now.
I have been avoiding?, certainly not articulating my ‘who, who, what for 10 years. It’s most likely due to it being ‘an incredibly tender process’. I hadn’t anticipated the tenderness of it. I thought I was writing web copy and marketing. Where’s the tender in that!?
Oh so right you are. Tender it is indeed.
Yesterday, I got as close as I ever have, after 10 years of business, to writing my ‘who who what’ on my website. My site’s not completed, nor advertised yet, likely it will be finished by the end of next week.
And yet the phone rang and it was my ideal client.
This works! Happy, happy happy.
Pauline Esson´s last blog post..Everyday Beauty
I laughed out loud when you popped my name into the article. Thanks Mark, as always I enjoy your writing and of course the teachings.Thank you-with love from Israel
Thanks Mark,
Your newsletter arrived just in time! I’m writing on the concept of an inspiration center for people who work in the homes for the elderly and your who who what approach came just in time!!!!!!!!!!
Bie from belgium
As I’m in the throes of reinventing myself and career, I so appreciate all the practical information that you impart through the Blog, Mark. You’ve already been a huge help in regards to rewriting two websites (one due for launch in July). This post takes things a stage further in terms of properly defining my market. Absolutely excellent.
Marion Harrington´s last blog post..A Smokers Tale – Part 2
Hi Mark,
What fabulous timing! This week I decided that I am finished licking my wounds from past business failures and am ready to re-emerge. This article really shows me where I have gone wrong in the past and how to redirect my focus. Being able to see how and why I was not effective in the past takes some of the fear out of starting over. I have been quietly reading your ezines for a few years now and I am very happy to have stayed in touch during the long incubation. Thanks again, Maryam
Love this Mark! What I’ve personally found is that I’m never done defining/refining the WWW statement. It keeps growing with me and my biz. And this approach actually helps to make marketing fun!
Which reminds me, I think it’s time to revisit my coaching website because I’ll bet it could use a tune-up.
Thanks for the gentle yet very informative prod.
Mynde´s last blog post..Dumping The “Wishing, Waiting & Hoping” Game Once & For All
So resonant. When trying to make a decision I ask myself, “Am I coming from love or fear?” Reading your article made me discover that not narrowing my focus was about fear–that is, “if I really identify who I want to work with I won’t survive.” But when I think of my ideal clients–I have one right now–my heart fills with love (and my hands feel full of tools to help this client, as opposed to anonymous anybodies). Thank you so much, Mark!
Nice, brother – and very succinct. One can tell you’ve been refining & teaching this for years.
Well, this one struck a chord, eh? I’m so grateful that you all found it so helpful! I’m very inspired reading each of your comments and what you all are up to.
It took quite some time for me to see that not defining my ‘who’ and ‘what’ was coming from a fear of excluding what I thought were potential clients. (Yes. I’m still working on the materials that will reflect the clarity I finally found.)
Thank you for this reminder and getting me to think even more deeply about this.
All the best!
deb
Deb Owen´s last blog post..i’m good enough, i’m smart enough, and gosh-darnit – people like me (what’s wrong with affirmations)
Thank you! Great article and great timing. I have been trying to work on a definition on who I want to work with, this helps a ton!
My heart is somehow touched by this post, though it’s really just purely practical stuff. And not new info to me, but never so well put, I think!
Also appreciate your mention of the fact that it’s ok to narrow your focus. In our star-struck culture, we’re always encouraged to aim for the top, when it’s really perfectly fine to attend to your mutually supportive community as sufficient for your life.
But especially, the bit about how it takes courage to make a stand. This is no superficial matter ….
Thanks again, Mark.
Glad it lands so well!
And yes, Mary, despite it being practical, this is real heart-stuff, eh?
Anyone care to share your own W-W-W?
What a great way to frame this.
And at the conference thing I did a few weeks ago a couple of people did say “oh that’s me” so maybe I’m on the right track.
JoVE´s last blog post..Careers in policy research
Hi Mark,
I’ve been revisiting/reworking my WWW and customer story recently, but even with the older version on my website (also based on your teaching) I had a client come in the other day and say:
“When I read your homepage I just went Yep, Yep, Yep, – thats me. So it was a no-brainer to call you.”
Love it when it works!! Actually love it when I’m not sure whether it’s working or not. It just feels right.
Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks also for the invitation to share WWWs – here’s my current working version – it’s a bit clunky, but actually, I quite like the clunkiness:
“I help work-worn, sparkle-gone professional women, who’re ripe for change, come home to a balanced and juicy life.”
Thanks for sharing this. I like the who-who-what way of describing what one does. I like the focus on what the customer is struggling with. What a great way to connect with customers!
I’m walking through the exercise and now I’m thinking out loud…
I help entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, who are looking for a strong community of smart people, and appreciate great customer service for their customers, have a place to successfully grow their business.
Peter Chee´s last blog post..Seattle Community: Party @OfficeNomads w/ Tara Hunt @missrogue, and BarCampSeattle #bcs09
@JoVE- It certainly sounds as if you’re on the right track! That’s exactly the response you’re wanting. And… did it go from there?
@Helen- That’s not necessarily clunky- and if it’s working, very cool. One thing you may consider is what’s in this article: Is Your Answer to What Do You Do? Acting Like a Crazed Boy Scout?”
@Peter- Thanks for jumping in. You’ve got some great pieces there- the thing you’re missing is the problem. You have wants listed, and you don’t list a problem or struggle, the What.
Also, read the article I suggested to Helen above.
Thank again Mark – you’re right, the “who want” is missing.
I help work-worn, sparkle-gone professional women, who’re ripe for change, and want to come home to a balanced and juicy life.
Better!
I just spent an hour on my WWW with my coach this morning and realised that I was confusing “the problem” with the “psychographic”.
Good one! See how much better that one feels? Subtle, but big. And it’s so easy to confuse the psychographic and the problem- good catch!
Funny timing! I am also playing with my who-who-what these days. What I have had for a while now is: “I help people who are sick or in pain and want to be whole”
I am thinking of either narrowing this–or of having a sub-group: “I help care-givers of challenging infants and children who want to both give great care and be healthy themselves.”
I plan to try this out as a sub-group first. If it flies, and I really enjoy it, then I will consider making this my whole who-who-what.
Thanks, again, for stimulating thought, heart, Spirit, and a great discussion.
Love to you, Holly, and the little ones!
This is very useful.
I’m interested if anyone else who is in the arts/cultural work as their business has particular insight on how to position art as a solution to a “problem.” I’m having a harder time applying this when the services is sharing/offering art.
@Siddheshwari- Your business has an uber-W-W-W, and then each offer in your business has it’s own mini-w-w-w that is only to a portion of your whole market. So, that’s a great way to go about it.
@Sara- Hi Sara. Well, why do people want to have art? Are they struggling/wanting/needing/yearning for:
- beauty?
- stimulation?
- thought?
- balance?
- reminders (of a different part of the world?)
- inspiration?
etc, etc,
Thanks, Mark! I was wondering whether I should narrow my whole W-W-W to this smaller group. But I am certainly not ready to do that. Decided to do a test run, so to speak.
I fully agree with the idea of narrowing your niche, at least in your own mind. Understanding instinctively who you are and who you serve and resonates with is the “juice” of doing heartcentered business. It’s pure delight and magic when you’re standing with a new client or group of clients and you all “know” what you bring reaches deep into their heart(s).
Exactly! I figure that if I at least know it in my heart, the rest will follow. The steps will become clear. And the right people will be attracted. And both seem to be true.
@Joan and Siddheshwari- Exactly, exactly. Celebrating the delight and magic in that connection.
[...] I’ve been playing with the brilliant teachings of Mark Silver at Heart of Business. He posted a while ago about using the Who (demographic), Who (psychographic), What (problem) formula, and [...]
hey Mark,
love this eye-opening article
would this fit your WWW concept?
“I help smart marketers who want to get traffic to their sites but don’t know how”
or should I expand the problem? like for e.g.
“I help smart marketers who want to get traffic to their sites but don’t know how to convert visitors into buyers”
Any ideas would be appreciated.
@Codrut- that definitely fits the formula. The thing is, I’m wondering about the “smart marketers” bit. That doesn’t bring any faces or names to mind. Who are these smart marketers? VP of Nike? An acupuncturist? There needs to be more clarity on who you’re trying to reach, and then we’ll know if your What, the problem, is accurate for them.
yeah, exactly, the “smart marketers” is a too general crowd, right…
what about “smart bloggers”, would this be better?
@Codrut- You’re jumping a bit too quickly, I think. “Smart bloggers”- who identifies with that? You want to identify your psychographic and your demographic more clearly, in my opinion.
Take some time and really sketch it out for yourself. Write each element, the Demo, the Psycho, and the Problem, as a full sentence each. Then read those sentences to people and see how they react. Does it bring to mind names and faces for them automatically? Do they respond “Oh, that’s me!”
Once you have that kind of response, then try and hone it done to a single, clean sentence.
hmm… I’m kind of puzzled… it’s not that easy to define psychographic and demographic more clearly for me…
maybe you could give an example basted on what I shared in previous message…
Thank you!
@Codrut- I know, it’s a tricky, tender process of figuring all of this out. Normally when we work with folks in our courses, we give a full six weeks to getting clear on the Who-Who-What and the Customer-Focused Story, a five-paragraph core message.
It goes a little beyond what I can do here on a blog to help you with the Who-Who-What in that kind of detail. If you’re looking for help to play with this, I recommend joining The Business Oasis and digging in there, or perhaps joining one of our courses, or working with Judy, even if it’s just for a session or two.
[...] The post didn’t show up until June 16, 2009. How do I know that? Because now there is a link http://www.heartofbusiness.com/avoiding-www/ dated June 16, 2009. Weird, but not really [...]
[...] This is the most basic question, and for more info, check out this article: "Don't Spend Ten Years Avoiding Who-Who-What." [...]
Wow, Mark. I had a long conversation with a coaching classmate of mine who specialized in marketing and although she tried I just couldn’t figure out what she was trying to tell me. This article made it all .so. much clearer…I think. I can see why it takes six weeks to get settled because it feels like there’s so much I could do. I’m not really sure where I’m focusing–which is what you’re saying, that that clarity is important.
One of the possibilities I’ve been toying with is “I help adults who are exploring their sexuality and want to know and say what they want and feel good about it.” There’s a piece I’m not capturing yet, though, part of the “who”: these are adults who for some reason have the sense that they “should” already know everything–they’re in their 30’s or 40’s, and/or are just coming out of a relationship and haven’t dealt with this in a while, or they’re just finding out something new about themselves…and so are feeling shy. Does that belong somewhere in the psychographic?
Hi Mark,
I tried my WWW on 8 of my colleagues yesterday. They gave me this version “I am a experience therapist helping individuals and couples resolve relationship difficulties”.
I re-worked this to: “I help individuals and couples ages 35-60 who care about their relationships and want to resolve the tension and arguments in their relationships.
What do you think?
Thanks for writing such a clear article!
Paula
Hi Paula-
I like your rework. And it doesn’t matter what I like.
The question is: have you tested it with potential clients- and how do they respond? DO they say, “That’s me!” or do they say, “Oh, Gertrude needs to talk to you.”
Names and faces is the game here. Like or don’t like doesn’t really play into it.
[...] wrote an article about the who-who-what that you should check out if you’re interested: Don’t Spend Ten Years Avoiding Who-Who-What. Whether you follow our template or someone else’s isn’t as important as whether you [...]
I read this post a few weeks ago and keep coming back to it – so simple and yet so difficult!
I am all over the place on this one, to the point where I can barely open my mouth to say what I do. Also, I think I have done several things for several different audiences, so I don’t know whether to summarise all of it or choose the most important one.
Um – so there’s ‘I help clients create productive conversations with their audiences.’ (which clients? what audiences? I mean in-person and online) and something quite different… ‘I write hulking great research reports on tricky subjects.’ – I can see it from my point of view but I (ironically!!) struggle to turn it around the other way.
Alison’s lastest post: 63% of poll results are entirely made up
It’s an extremely tender topic, Alison- and everyone, everyone, everyone struggles with it. So be gentle with yourself.
Rather than go right for the sentence. start by writing out the three elements. And let is be messy and multiple-sentences.
This is a timely topic for me, too. I am working to re-brand myself differently to attract my perfect clients.
I love craniosacral therapy because of the difference I know it can make in the quality of someone’s life. I experienced it making the spiritual and emotional reasons for my life and health more evident to me, and helping to bring me in line with my life purpose. I didn’t know I was looking to do that, but in the process of dealing with my health, it happened magically. I also knew how sacred it felt to hold someone in my hands and offer that opportunity and potential to them (coupled with massage and stress management). I really enjoy working with people more deeply, especially when they are in transition/change: divorce, birth, death, job, marriage, etc., to help them connect mind-body-spirit-life, listen to their inner guidance, live their purpose, and feel fantastic. I know they may not come to me looking to do that, but I trust their subconscious will connect with that in my message, while their conscious connects with pain and stress reduction. I don’t enjoy the “fix me and I am gone” clients. I eventually want to add workshops to my menu – stress mgmt., personal discovery.
Struggling with business card ideas, now. Going by my name, will do dba later.
Been toying with (my name and logo at the top, then):
Natural, Gentle Support Through Transitions by
Releasing Stress and Discomfort at the Root
Craniosacral and Massage Therapy
Discover New Patterns of Being and Enjoy Living
(or Discover a Healthier You and Enjoy Living
or Discover a New You and Enjoy Living)
contact info. at bottom
Would love some feedback!! Kelly
Hey Kelly- congrats on jumping in like this. The big thing I would do is to follow the template I offered in the article “I help (demo, psycho) who (problem).”
Try it that way, and then go from there. You’re looking for these kinds of responses: The Only Response that Really Matters. Let me know how it turns out.
Mark:
Thank you for your input.
I am not really jumping in in the middle. I did your exercise last year in another mastermind circle under a diff’t format.
I like your approach of writing 3 sentences then combining them into one.
My dilemma is more along the lines of wanting to help people at a level that they may not yet be consciously seeking.
My ideal client is a woman in her 30’s who has various minor health issues (headaches, neck and shoulder tension, bouts of insomnia, occasional menstrual problems, indigestion, stress-related stuff). She has young children, and works, but feels something is missing – like something just for her. She is looking for improved health, decreased tension and stress, and hoping to find herself again.
So, my WWW was something along the lines of:
I help women who are stuck in the rut of daily life
coping with chronic stress and health challenges connect mind-body-spirit-life to reconnect with missing parts of themselves and enjoy life.
Couldn’t find my original drafts of this right now. I was not happy with my materials after that, and am trying to re-do.
My biggest obstacle is that I want to work with people more deeply, but know that many of them may not come in knowing that they want to do that, or that they are not living their life purpose/dealing with stressors in a way that would leave them happier and healthier. So, to I aim for that anyway?
It’s okay- no need to push for the deeper stuff. Once people are in the door and they have trust and safety with you, they are totally willing to do the deeper stuff.
But I haven’t felt a need to put it out there as the very first thing. Remember that the who-who-what is about them seeing themselves, not about seeing you. That’s for later in the marketing message.
Mark: Thank you for your input, and reminder. The thing is that I can only do so much in one session. So many people tell me how great they feel, and it was wonderful, and there is nothing I could have done to make their session better. Then, I ask if they’d like to make another appointment. Sometimes I include: to continue to take care of yourself, to maximize the benefits, to sleep better, boost immunity, etc. I get everything from talking it over with their spouse, to checking the zillion dr. appts. at home, to uncertain sched., etc. So, we don’t get to the point where they are internalizing the value, opening to trusting, and going deeper. They came to try it, and are focused on “massage=relax”. Some seem to go out of their way to include that in their answer to “how are you feeling”. I have asked how life will be better when they are relaxed, what lack of relaxation is keeping them from doing/enjoying, etc. before we start. Blank stares. “I will just feel better. Feel more relaxed.” Much beyond that I feel like I am giving an exam.
Thank you for your input!!
Frustrating, eh? Ugh!
Just after a massage is a hard time to make a pitch like that, sometimes.
Are your clients on an email list of some sort? This requires a deeper look at your process, including how you are framing the next steps- and whether it’s all packaged together.
Mark: Thank you again for your input. I forgot to put above that we probe the value of relaxation in the intake process. I have introspective “?’s” on the form – “what would you like from your session?”, “how will your life be better when you accomplish this?”, etc. Most leave this blank, and I tell them that is just as important to the session as the other health questions so that I can work with them effectively. Then, they fill in: to relax; I will be relaxed.
I have decided with new clients this year to send a follow-up letter thanking them, and maybe recapping the session a little – what I did/why if there was an issue we were addressing, or offering how I could be of further assistance with the issue, etc.
I am not doing e-mail stuff because my computer is at home, and dial-up internet. It is a drain on me to access that way at this point.
I joined in the Tent 1st time last week to get input on my www, and get my cards in shape. i hope the support there continues because it will be invaluable to me – it is really all I have at this point. I am trying to do several things in a way that feels good and makes sense – my business partner and I have a lot in common, but different styles/approaches = I desire to keep our practice together, but now need my own materials better representing my message. Lots of logistics to work through. Love and Peace, Kelly
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