How to Grow Your Business by Focusing on Your Top 20%: 10 Proven Tactics

In the world of business, we often hear about the Pareto Principle - the idea that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. But what if we could shift that balance? What if we could attract more of those high-value clients who drive significant growth?

As someone who's worked with numerous 6-figure retailers, service businesses, and agency owners over the last 30 years, I've seen first hand how optimising your marketing strategy can dramatically increase your proportion of high-value clients.

So, let’s take a look at 10 ways you can do this:

1. Understand Your Ideal Client

Before you can attract more high-value clients, you need to know exactly who they are. Dive deep into your client data and then HUMANISE IT.  What characteristics do your top 20% share? What problems do they face? What solutions do they value most? This isn't just about demographics - it's about psychographics. Understanding their motivations, fears, and aspirations is crucial.

Action step: Create detailed buyer personas for your ideal high-value clients. Include both demographic and psychographic information (if you want to know how you can get the latter, then send me a DM with the word PERSONA and I’ll send you a cheat sheet and free training on this).

2. Tailor Your Value Proposition

Once you understand your ideal clients, refine your value proposition - that’s marketing speak for knowing what outcome you promise to provide your customers – your brand and offer standards - to speak directly to their needs and desires. Remember, high-value clients aren't just looking for a product or service - they're looking for solutions to complex problems and ways to achieve their goals.

Action step: Revisit your value proposition. Does it clearly communicate how you solve your ideal clients' specific challenges and what your business stands for?   Again, if you need some help on this, just DM me and I’ll send you a cheat sheet and training on how to power up your Value Position.   Just comment VALUE.

3. Optimise Your Marketing Channels

Not all marketing channels are created equal when it comes to attracting high-value clients. Analyse where your top 20% came from. Was it through referrals, LinkedIn, industry events, or targeted advertising? Once you know, double down on these channels.

Action step: Conduct a channel audit. Identify which channels bring in your best clients and allocate more resources to these areas.

4. Create High-Value Content

High-value clients are often sophisticated and well-informed. They're looking for expertise and insights, not just sales pitches. Develop content that showcases your deep understanding of their industry and challenges.

Action step: Develop a content strategy focused on addressing the complex issues your ideal clients face. This could include in-depth blog posts, whitepapers, or case studies.

5. Implement Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

For B2B businesses, ABM can be a game-changer. This strategy involves treating individual high-value prospects as their own market, creating highly personalised campaigns to win their business.

Action step: Identify a list of dream clients and create tailored marketing approaches for each.

6. Leverage Social Proof

High-value clients often want to see proof of your ability to deliver results. Case studies, testimonials, and reviews from similar clients can be incredibly persuasive.

Action step: Gather and prominently display success stories from your top clients. Ensure these are easily accessible on your website and in your marketing materials.

7. Offer Premium Services

Consider creating exclusive, high-end offerings that cater specifically to your ideal clients. This not only attracts high-value clients but can also increase the lifetime value of existing ones.

Action step: Develop a premium service tier or product line that addresses the unique needs of your top-tier clients.

8. Build Strategic Partnerships

Identify businesses that serve your ideal clients but aren't direct competitors. Forming partnerships with these companies can open up new channels to reach high-value prospects.

Action step: Make a list of potential strategic partners and reach out to discuss collaboration opportunities.

9. Invest in Customer Experience

Attracting high-value clients is only half the battle - you need to retain them too. Invest in creating an exceptional customer experience that keeps them coming back and referring others.

Action step: Review your entire customer journey. Identify areas where you can add extra value or personalised touches for your top clients.

10. Continuously Analyse and Refine

The market is always evolving, and so are your clients' needs. Regularly review your strategy and be prepared to adapt.

Action step: Set up quarterly reviews of your client acquisition strategy. Use data to inform your decisions and be willing to pivot when necessary.

Remember, attracting more high-value clients isn't about quick fixes or magic bullets. It's about deeply understanding your ideal clients, consistently delivering value, and strategically positioning your business to be the obvious choice for those seeking premium solutions.

By implementing these strategies, you can start to shift the balance, bringing in more of those top 20% clients who drive significant growth for your business.  That’s how you drive growth by constantly uplevelling and optimising your marketing to bring in higher value clients.

If you’d like me to show you how this system could be applied in your business to help boost your growth and attract high value customers, then book a complimentary diagnostic/business audit with me HERE.

Or if you’re not quite ready for that, then follow me on LinkedIn for more marketing growth goodness!