1. Using Baseflow, Upscale 100, Project 100 or Business 100 and the customer profiling criteria listed, enter the names and qualifying information of your top 100 on-profile clients, as well as friends, social acquaintances, former business associates, school contacts, businessowners or professionals whose products or services you use.
2. Identify new market penetration opportunities.
3. Using the defining criteria listed, identify market segments you've been working all along without realizing it or fully appreciating their potential.
   • Is it identifiable and accessible?
   
   
   • Does the group have identifiable common characteristics?
   
   
   • Does the group have identifiable wants, needs and objectives that can be addressed by your products and services?
   
   
   • Does the group have an active communications network?
4. Summarize your results in the Understanding Your Best Markets section of your Marketing Plan.

This exercise confirms common characteristics, but can also reveal useful patterns such as buying behavior, attitudes, interests and other characteristics, such as similar decision-making styles shared by producers and on-profile clients.

"Best-Case Analyses" also provide the information you need to understand your "ideal" client and become responsive, market-oriented and client-centered. They also get you thinking about the needs, wants and objectives you can meet with your products and services, and can tell you if:

(a) You understand your clients' expectations; and
(b) you've been meeting them.

Once you understand your ideal client, you can begin putting together a client profile. Then you'll need to know how to communicate with them and if you can realistically meet their expectations.