So, you’ve defined who your ideal client is. You know what they need, what they value, and how your product or service helps them. But here’s the next question - where are they?
Dec 1, 2025
You know what they need, what they value, and how your product or service helps them. But here’s the next question - where are they?
Knowing who your ideal client is isn’t enough if you don’t know where to find them. This is where many business owners get stuck. They cast the net too wide or focus on the wrong platforms, which leads to wasted time, money, and energy.
To market effectively, you need to go where your ideal clients already are. You need to understand what spaces they occupy - both online and offline - and what they’re doing while they’re there. That’s how you build real connection and visibility.
Let’s walk through the three key areas to consider when identifying where your ideal clients can be found, using a hypothetical dental practice owner as a working example.
1. Finding Your Ideal Clients in the Online Space
Online marketing has opened endless possibilities for connecting with the right people but only if you know where to look.
Let’s take the example of a dental practice owner. Their ideal clients might be working professionals with families who live nearby. Online, these potential patients could be part of:
Local community Facebook groups (e.g., “Parents of West London” or “Ealing Families Chat”)
Forums or Reddit threads discussing family health or local services
Instagram or TikTok audiences following lifestyle influencers in their city
Google searchers looking for “best dentist near me” or “kid-friendly dental clinics”
The key here is specificity. Instead of running broad, untargeted ads, this dental practice could contribute helpful advice in community groups, build trust through educational videos on Instagram, or run a local SEO strategy to appear at the top of Google for nearby searches.
Whatever your business, think about your ideal client’s online habits. What platforms are they scrolling on? What kind of content do they consume? Are they following influencers, joining groups, attending webinars, or searching for solutions? You want to insert your brand into those spaces, strategically and consistently.
2. Finding Your Ideal Clients in the Offline Space
While digital dominates today’s marketing conversation, the offline world is still incredibly powerful, especially for local or relationship-driven businesses.
For our dental practice owner, offline touchpoints might include:
Attending or sponsoring local school events, fairs, or sports matches
Joining a local BNI or Chamber of Commerce group to connect with other professionals
Hosting free dental check-up pop-up stands at community events
Networking with local paediatricians or GPs who can offer referrals
The offline world offers something online can’t always replicate: trust through presence. When people see your face, shake your hand, or hear about you from someone they trust, the connection is deeper. If you're a consultant, designer, personal trainer - being physically present in the right spaces can create warm leads that convert quickly.
Every business should consider where their ideal clients physically spend time, and how they can be visible in those places in a helpful, non-salesy way.
3. What Are Your Clients Doing in These Spaces and Who Are They With?
This is where deeper understanding comes in. It’s not just about where your ideal clients are - it’s about why they’re there, what they’re doing, and who they’re doing it with.
Sticking with the example of a dental practice, the ideal client might be a parent browsing a Facebook group because their child is nervous about the dentist and they’re looking for recommendations. Or they might be attending a local school fundraiser alongside other like-minded families who value health and community. If the dental clinic understands this dynamic, they can tailor their messaging to focus on being gentle, kid-friendly, and community-oriented; this will immediately resonate with parents.
Your ideal clients don’t operate in isolation. They’re influenced by peers, family, local culture, and social groups. The more you understand the ecosystem they live in, the easier it is to position yourself as a natural, trusted solution.
Final Thoughts
Finding your ideal clients isn’t about being everywhere - it’s about being in the right places, with the right message, at the right time.
Whether it’s a Facebook group, a networking event, a search engine, or a local coffee morning, your job as a business owner is to identify those key spaces and show up with value. Once you know who your ideal client is, your next step is to understand where they spend their time and how to meet them there in a way that builds trust and drives action.
