I’m wondering:
- Do you know what your ideal client looks like?
- Are you going after them or taking to everyone?
- Do you find yourself taking on all kinds of clients only to find that you aren’t very happy with a handful of them?
I submit that’s because you haven’t identified what your ideal client looks like. We all need to have a clear vision of what an ideal client is. That doesn’t mean they are the only clients we’ll work with. It DOES mean that we now know who to stay away from. And it tells us who to prospect toward. Our ideal clients have certain characteristics.
They are enjoyable to work with.
They value what we do for them.
They pay on time.
They communicate effectively with us.
What else makes a client ideal for you? It’s worth spending time on and developing that picture. Here’s an exercise you can do. Create a T chart where one side has ‘awful’ on it and the other side has ‘fabulous’. Now start listing the things that you don’t enjoy about past (or maybe current) clients. Put those on the awful side. Then make a list of the things you just love about your favorite clients. Get creative with it and expansive. Include everything you can think of.
When you’re done you will have guidelines. And these guidelines will help you identify whether the person or company you are talking to is one you should continue to pursue or run the other way!
And here are the benefits of knowing your ideal client:
More Time
It frees up time. It’s like knowing what clothes look best on you. Once you own that knowledge you stop trying on clothes that just aren’t going to flatter you. Time saved! The same is true here. You won’t spend time with anyone who exhibits a lot of the items you have on your awful list.
Better Bottomline
It improves your bottom line. Awful clients take up a lot of our time and pay us very little. They are a drain on our enthusiasm and the time we could be spending with clients we like.
Happiness
It makes us happier and we enjoy our business more. That, my friends, is priceless!
So take some time and get clear on what an ideal client looks like. Remember that it doesn’t mean you won’t do business with someone who is less than ideal. It just means you will steer yourself away from the ones that are really awful.
Need a hand in getting this done? Visit seizethisday.co and sign up for a 30 minute phone consult.
