Do you ever scream after working with a particular client? It is not the end of the world when you find yourself in a working relationship that is well, NOT working. I would really love to help you avoid (or get out of) a bad client situation. How can you do it?
Know what you HATE
To help me stay focused on only working with ideal clients (meaning those folks with whom I can do my BEST work and create the BEST possible results), I've developed a simple system that you too can model.
Prospects are not allowed into my door if they don't meet certain criteria. This is in the best interest of my client. If they aren't ideal for my work style and what I offer, they aren't going to have a great experience in working with me and they won't enable me to achieve my goals. That scenario, of course, doesn't do either of us a bit of good. So, I've developed an Ideal Client Profile (ICP), which reminds me exactly what kind of clients I should be working with. The first step in developing this profile for yourself is to know what you hate. Perhaps "hate" is a strong word, but it's just as important to know what won't work in your business as it is to know what will.
There are several things that you must decide when creating your ICP. First, start with personality traits. What qualities do certain people possess that you do NOT want to allow into your business? What qualities absolutely make you want to scream?
For example, if you do not like to work with people who procrastinate or frequently miss deadlines, do not work with them. You may have an aversion to people who are not self-motivated. If so, avoid them at all cost. You won't do your best work with them.
In addition to personality traits, there may be some industries that you are not necessarily attracted to. If you find the fitness industry absolutely boring and pointless, would you get excited about working with fitness professionals? You know the answer.
I think you get the picture, right? Make a list of the personality traits, behaviors and industries that turn you off. This will allow you to see clearly who IS a great fit for your business and where you should focus your marketing efforts.
Know what you LOVE
Now that we have all that negative energy out of the way, let's pick up the pace and talk about the things that you LOVE! [Notice how that smile just came across your face.] Take the same points we discussed earlier (personality traits and industry), and make a list.
Think about your favorite people in the world. These are the people that you would love to spend all of your time with. In a working relationship, you find it hard to believe that you get paid to serve such wonderful folks.
What qualities and personality traits do they possess? Are they happy, outgoing, generous or self-starters? What do they do in their spare time? How long have they been looking for the solutions that you provide? If your clients have their own business, you certainly want to make sure that you choose clients who work in an industry that you can get excited about.
I really enjoy working with clients who are in the personal wellness industry. So, when I'm helping them to grow their business, it makes me feel really good. Nowadays, I never cringe when it is time to speak with my clients. They all fit my ICP. Make sure your clients bring you the same fulfillment.
Listing all of these excelling qualities and traits will help you as you search for ideal clients. The importance of creating this Ideal Client Profile cannot be over-stressed. An Ideal Client Profile allows me to learn a lot about my prospective clients. It is also a deterrent to those who do not fit my ICP.
I know that you want to avoid working with clients that make you SCREAM!! I encourage you to create a process for eliminating the problem before it starts. Integrating an Ideal Client Profile into your prospecting process will prove to be a time saver while allowing you to fill your practice with clients that you absolutely LOVE. This will lead to better experience for your clients, a faster, easier path to achieving their goals, more profits and more referrals for you. What could be better than that?