Are you starting a myofunctional therapy business?  As someone who has gone before you, I’m here to help you save a huge amount of time and headache (errrr, stress?) when starting your myofunctional therapy business.

My students (and total strangers) ask me all the time

“Carmen, how are you getting so much business?”

It took me a while to discover my “secret formula” but once I did, the stress, overwhelm, and constant roller coaster of emotions was lifted off of me. My secret formula to getting so much business is this:

I only work with clients who are right for ME.

Everyone is not your customer.

I am crushing it with my myofunctional therapy business because I am only spending time attracting and working with the clients who are perfect for me.  I know who my ideal customer is, and every business or marketing decision is based on “her”.

Can I simplify this with a story?  I love to tell the “potato chip story” because it has had such a huge impact on my business.

Once upon a time….

(just kidding) 😂 😂 😂

Years ago, I was listening to a podcast with marketing guru Seth Godin and he taught me that everyone is not my customer.  This story has stuck with me and changed how I do business.  I call it the potato chip story.

Let’s pretend that you own a gourmet potato chip company, and you make these expensive, thick, waffle-cut organic potato chips cooked in small batches, with tender loving care by only a certified potato chip cooker.  Say you charge $8 per bag of chips.

One day, you’re at your local Piggly Wiggly stocking your bags of potato chips on the shelf and a young woman walks up and says

“Do you know where they put the Fritos that are on sale?”

You see this as an opportunity to try and make a sale.  You are so eager to talk about the gourmet chips that you awkwardly start telling the young lady all the reasons why the nasty Frito chip she desires is a terrible choice, and why she should be eating an organic, thick, waffle-cut gourmet chip.

Are you wasting your time?

Yes. Why?  Because this lady is not your potato chip customer.  Like I said before, most people waste their time trying to sell to the wrong people.  I repeat this to my students all the time…not your potato chip person.

I want you to understand this.  You’re not trying to change her mind.  She is not your ideal customer.  You will waste time, money, and brain cells trying to convince her that she needs your product.

An ideal customer represents YOUR perfect customer. The exact person who wants and needs exactly what you’re offering. The goal of identifying your ideal customer is to get extremely clear and focused on who it is that you’re serving.

I already hear your wheels turning. “But Carmen, I’m starting a myofunctional therapy business, and I want to help everyone, everywhere with everything.”

Trust me here.  I’ve got the scars to prove that you need to know who YOUR ideal customer is.

Understanding this is important when starting or growing your myofunctional therapy business.

When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.

By narrowing down the audience that you’re trying to reach, your message will fall on the ears of those who are the perfect customer for YOU.

Everyone. Is. Not. Your. Customer.

If you want the golden key to failure, try pleasing everyone. It’s extremely important to understand that you can’t be everything to everyone and you don’t want everyone.

So, who is an ideal customer?  Seth defines an ideal customer as someone who:

• Wants your products or services
• Has the ability to pay for the product and services
• Has the authority to purchase your product or services

Your ideal customer is someone who wants YOUR services, has the money to pay, and the authority to make the decision to buy.

This person is uniquely made for you!

When you work with your “potato chip person”…

• You have an excellent enjoyable experience
• The person takes your advice
• Does what you ask
• Acts like a rockstar
• Trusts your judgment
• Doesn’t price shop

They. Just. Want. YOU.

I don’t like to work inefficiently.  I want warm people, I want people who want to work with me, not those who just “settle” for me.  No thank you.

Remember, there are 4 types of people (according to Seth):

• Those who get it and want it
• Those who don’t get it and ask a question and then want it
• Those who get it and don’t want it
• Those who don’t get it and don’t want it.

People spend 90% of their time with #3 and #4 trying to get them to change their minds.  Don’t make this mistake!  Work with #1 and #2!  Engage with #1 and #2. These are the relationships you want to nurture.

Your ideal customer is who you want to focus on with every business decision, especially marketing!

I recommend studying your audience to identify who your ideal customer is.  Don’t skip this step, even if you’re already seeing clients.  It helps you focus on those you want to work with, and it takes that overwhelming “I must get all the clients” feeling away (lack mindset, anyone?), and you start to see a higher conversion of paying customers when you know where to focus your efforts!

This is a topic that I teach in-depth inside my course Triumph: Business Training For Myofunctional Professionals, but if you’re just starting out you can simply do a search for “ideal customer avatar” (ICA) or “customer persona” and get started!

I’m curious to see who is your ICA.  Mine is “Shelby,” an educated, married female age 24-35, with disposable income, children, a mindset for wellness, and wants to stop feeling like a pile of poo.  She shops at Lululemon, Athleta, Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, and Subaru!

Let me know who your ICA is.

P.S.  Need some more help?  Have you read these other incredible blogs?

Read: 6 Steps To Starting a Myofunctional Therapy Business

Read: 5 Easy Steps To Start a Myofunctional Therapy Business & Say Peace Out To Your 9-5

Read: 5 Tips To Stay Motivated Building a Myofunctional Therapy Business

About the Author, Carmen M. Woodland

Carmen is a powerhouse myofunctional educator, whose “secret sauce” is teaching women how to build their own, incredibly satisfying career in myofunctional therapy.  She is obsessed with all things myo, myofunctional therapy business, marketing, social media, content, data, revenue, goals, and helping you navigate the messy and magical journey to becoming an authority in the myofunctional therapy niche.

She teaches you the tried and true secrets to building a career you’re in charge of, and one that’s life-changing for both you and your clients.

Shy away from the hard stuff?  No way, Carmen gets down in the trenches with you, just like your favorite gal-pal there to cheer you on.  Her no-nonsense-tough-love-common-sense-solutions-oriented approach is the real reason that she gives you the kick in the pants you need.  Carmen is your one-stop shop to learn everything you need to know about delivering effective myofunctional therapy, and building a thriving, profitable myofunctional therapy business.

A dental hygienist who got tired of watching unhealthy people slip through the cracks.  She took her 15 years of dental hygiene experience, completed advanced post-graduate training in orofacial myofunctional therapy, earned a prestigious M.B.A. (Masters in Business Administration), grew a successful myofunctional therapy business, and now she works from home with clients around the world and runs an extremely popular myo coaching and business training program.

If you find your passion intersection at the corner of Myofunctional Therapy Avenue, Dental Hygiene Highway, Female Entrepreneur Boulevard, and Work From Anywhere Way…then get cozy here, because you’ve found your unicorn!  Carmen is here to educate, encourage, and empower you while she teaches you all the things!