Friday, April 20

Business Tips – Client Compatibility – Are We A Good Fit?

Want to have more success in your business?  Then take steps to qualify your clients and work exclusively with those that are a good fit. This can be done in many ways; one of which is adding language to your site asking specific questions that portray your ideal client.

Many make the mistake of taking on every client and doing everything requested of them. But the real professionals know it's better to work with a select few who are the right clients and the perfect fit. When you are good at what you do, you only want to work with the best and those you know will benefit from the services you provide. By being "picky" and not being the "jack-of-all-trades," you have the opportunity to do just that. Plus, when you specialize in select tasks, you can focus on getting the training you need to become an expert at those specific tasks so you will constantly be at top of your game.  It's truly a win/win for everyone.

Want another advantage of being selective with the clients you work with? Referrals. If your clients are happy with your services, they will often provide referrals, which can result in more growth for your business. Those referrals are the bread and butter of a business and consistently keep your business prospering. Best yet, those referrals are usually the exact client type you are seeking and actively marketing to. They often have already passed your client compatibility test. Again, another win/win.

So how can you qualify potential clients? You ask specific questions. Again this can be done on your website or in your new client handouts or whatever means works best for you.

Tips for qualifying your perfect client include:

    First define who your perfect client is. You need to know what you want to do and who you want to work with.
    Ask specifically the crucial points you want to know. For example - "Are you a professional speaker, business coach or consultant?"  Some fear that it might limit your options, but actually you weed out those prospects who would not be ideal clients for you.
    Dig deeper and define specifics to their business that would qualify them even more.  Examples would include things such as – "How long have you been in business?" "Are you new to virtual teams?"  "Are you successful and well established?"
    Define personality traits you feel would make a good match for you and your business. Here you can ask questions such as - "Are you a micro-manager?"  "Do you have a good sense of humor?"  "Are you available?"

Can you see how this pre-screening can make a difference?  Before they even pick up the phone and make that call, you have a better idea that the working relationship will be a good one.