If you’ve ever tried to figure out your “ideal customer,” you probably ended up frustrated. Most worksheets and marketing exercises turn this into a complicated guessing game. You start wondering about demographics, hobbies, income, personality types, or whether they like coffee or tea. Before long, it feels like you’re inventing a fictional character rather than identifying a real person you can actually serve.
There’s a much simpler way to do this, and it comes from something I learned from Russell Brunson. He calls it the “Five Years Ago Rule.”
Here’s the basic idea:
Your ideal customer is usually the person you were five years ago. The struggles you had, the questions you didn’t know how to ask, the mistakes you made, the overwhelm you felt, and the transformation you eventually went through are the exact things your customers are trying to figure out today.
When I heard that, everything clicked into place.
Why This Rule Works
Five years ago, you were on a journey. You were trying to solve problems you didn’t fully understand yet. You were learning, trying, failing, and learning again. You grew through that process. Today, you have answers that your younger self didn’t have yet.
Your customers are living that older version of you in real time. That is why this rule works so well. You understand their frustrations because you lived them. You understand their fears because you felt them. You understand their goals because you had the same ones.
You know the way forward because you’ve already walked it.
How I Apply This Rule in My Own Business
Running Touch Point Designs has shown me how accurate this rule really is.
Five years ago, I was designing websites, but I didn’t have the polished systems I have today. I didn’t have the streamlined process, the clear messaging, or the structured questionnaire that helps small business owners move from “I’m overwhelmed” to “I know exactly what to do next.” I was still becoming the designer I am now.
When I look at the small business owners I serve here in the Bitterroot Valley, they are facing the same challenges I once faced:
- Feeling overwhelmed by tech
- Being burned by designers in the past
- Worrying about cost
- Not knowing what features a website needs
- Wanting a simple, stress-free experience
- Needing someone local and trustworthy
Local business owners describe the same frustrations again and again. Tech headaches. Complicated website builders. No support. Money lost. And a strong desire for someone honest, patient, and reliable.
Because I lived that version of myself, I know how to guide people through it today. That is exactly why my process is simple and structured. It is why communication is clear and steady. It is why I built Starter Websites for owners who just want something clean, affordable, and easy to manage.
The person I needed five years ago is the person I try to be now for my clients.
How You Can Use This Rule to Find Your Own Ideal Customer
You don’t need a long workbook or an avatar generator. Just take a moment and look back.
Think about:
- What confused you five years ago
- What you were trying to figure out
- What felt overwhelming
- What you were unhappy with
- What mistakes you made
- What you wish someone had told you
- What you desperately needed but didn’t have
That version of you is your ideal customer.
You already know them better than you think.
You know their story because it used to be yours.
Once you see that clearly, everything else becomes easier. Your marketing becomes more natural. Your messaging becomes more human. Your offers feel aligned. And your customers will feel like you’re speaking directly to them, because in a way, you are.
Closing Thought
Your story matters more than any worksheet. The growth you’ve experienced is the bridge your customers are trying to cross. When you build your marketing around the person you once were, you become a guide who understands the journey from the inside.
If you’re a small business owner in the Bitterroot Valley and you’re feeling confused or overwhelmed about your website, I’ve been there. I know what that feels like. And I know exactly how to help you take the next step.
Whenever you’re ready, I’m here to make the process simple.
