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Increase Your Profits by Waiting for the Right Client
Donna Gunter
One of the biggest mistakes that I see service business owners make is taking on as a client anyone who has a 98.6 degree temperature who can pay them money. This is especially prevalent with new service business owners, as they are willing to do almost anything in order to land that first couple of clients.
Invariably, what they quickly discover is that their practice is full of a
bunch of clients with whom they hate working. Does this sound like you?
Turning away clients who aren't a good fit and waiting for the right client can
actually increase your bottom line. How do I know that this works and how
difficult it is to remain true to the principle? Because, of course, I used to
be one of the biggest offenders of this strategy. It was only after several
not-so-positive experiences in bad client selection that I decided to listen to
what I had heard to be true about waiting for the right client but had never
personally experienced.
During this time, the tapes in my head kept playing and telling me that I was
nuts for passing up business. However, I resolutely hung on, trying with all my
heart to believe that adhering to this concept was going to work for me. It was
about a year or so into my business before I discovered first-hand how well this
principle does work.
I had been approached by a motivational speaker to help him with his Internet
marketing plans. We hit it off, and because I didn't quite follow his
description of his unique presentation style, I requested that he send me a tape
of one of his performances. I received the tape a few days later, and after
watching it, quite frankly thought it was one of the most unmotivational
performances I had ever seen. I knew that it would be a struggle for me to help
him with his marketing, since I didn't believe he was especially talented in his
chosen field.
This was a time in my business when I could have really used the cash. The
speaker and I had hit it off pretty well, and he wanted to promote himself in
the college student activities circuit, which was my previous career background.
I went back and forth numerous times during that weekend, trying to decide if I
should agree to work with him, thinking that I'd make the best of it and it
wouldn't be that bad. Finally, I had to have a very harsh conversation with
myself, saying that if I were this indecisive, I needed to decline the offer and
I needed to suck it up, get over, tell him "no", and move on.
Long story short, I called and told him that I didn't think we were a good fit.
About 2 weeks later, I was called by a prospective client who'd been referred to
me about 6 months earlier by a current client.
At the time of the initial referral, I was really busy and didn't have the time
or need to follow up with him. Now, however, was the perfect time. We spoke and
I discovered he was doing some really cool things that were quite exciting to me
and that I had the perfect skills to help him elevate his marketing. One
additional conversation later, we decided to work together and he remained my
client for about two years.
This experience was my light bulb moment, to quote Oprah Winfrey. Had I decided
to work with the unmotivational motivational speaker who wasn't a good fit, I
would have had no room in my practice for the perfect client to come along two
weeks later. Talk about being whacked between the eyes!
So, then, how do you determine who's the right, or ideal, client for you? Make a
checklist of your idea client qualities, which will ultimately serve as your
client screening device. Here are some questions to get you started:
1. What are their beliefs?
2. What values do they hold dear?
3. What is their work style?
4. What industries are they in?
5. What are the traits and qualities of great colleagues/bosses/friends that
made them enjoyable to work with or be around?
6. Are there foundational issues that need to be in place before someone is
ready to work with you?
7. What traits and qualities of past clients have driven you crazy?
Once you have answered these questions to your satisfaction, bring up the most
important issues in your introductory conversations with prospects and put those
issues out on the table where they can't be ignored. Discussing these issues
with prospective clients is the only way to ensure that they fully understand
what it means to work with you and what's important to you, and you get a better
picture of how well they fit your ideal client profile. If your gut tells you
that's it's a poor fit, move along to the next prospect.
Whether you have to take it on faith or constantly talk yourself into adhering
to this belief, waiting for the right client is absolutely the right thing to do
and will ultimately increase your bottom line.
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