For a while now, I have only worked with my “ideal clients”. I politely refer out people who don’t fit my ideal client profile. What a difference this has made! I love my work more and I find I get more done in sessions in an easier manner. Ideal clients are also happier with our work. I noticed that when I had disgruntled clients, or people who were slow to pay, they were inevitably the type of clients whom I didn’t enjoy working with anyway.
I was thinking about this when I read virtual assistant Danielle Keister’s latest 10-day e-course installment: “Ramp Up Your Billable Hours” (you can get this by going to www.therelief.com) This stood out:
Unideal clients take up twice, even triple, the space of ideal clients in your practice. When there isn’t a fit, clients become needy and demanding. They will seem hard to please, constantly changing their mind.
Unideal clients will nit-pick your hours and rates. They will disrespect your work, and stress you about payment. They increase your administrative hours, and prevent you from paying equal attention to other clients.
It is so true! We may think we can’t afford to turn someone away. But the cost of taking “unideal” clients is simply too high.
Amen! We all need to take more risks and be bold enough to say no when we know it’s not the right fit — and be confident that it will open up space for the “right” clients to come along! It’s so hard to make that leap of faith but I believe it’s true…thanks!
I just had a discussion about this with a friend, who pointed out that I often took private students who ate up my time, paid late, cancelled at the last minute, etc. She pointed out that people like that only bring you “more of the same” and that maybe it was time to phase the psychic vampires.
In total agreement here! I just “accepted” a new client who I think is ideal. In talking with my coach this morning she remarked at how excited and alive I sounded when talking about this particular client. And she is right. I can’t wait until we begin working together next week. I am energized with ideas for her and thrilled that I will be working with someone who fits my ideal client profile exactly.
It is so true that the non-ideal clients are such a drain on our energy (and yes, on our pocketbook). It isn’t easy to refer-out those who don’t fit, but it’s a sound business decision we all need to learn to embrace. I think that is one advantage we have over our male counterparts in business. Sometimes it’s a matter of intuition and being in tune with what is right for us.