Why You’re Not Attracting Your Ideal Customers & What To Do About It
KON MARIE YOUR CLIENTS
My head ached from fighting back the impending tears. Hanging up the phone, I realized I officially had a Client-Zilla. A business acquaintance referred a client to me who took her requests to an outrageous level costing me money, unnecessary hours worked, and loss of sleep.
But things weren’t right from the very first phone call, and I ignored the warning signs in favor of a padded bank account.
Today I feel fortunate we crossed paths (and swords) toward the beginning of my career to learn a lesson without having to struggle through more not-right-for-me clients: being happy with your work and your clients is far more important than money.
If you’ve read Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you know she wants us to surround ourselves with objects that “spark joy.” And I want you to do the same with your business and only take on clients who make you feel good.
Maybe you’ve made a similar decision and suffer the consequences of our “gotta pay the bills” mentality, or perhaps you’ve yet to meet your ill-fitting client? Either way, this post will help you avoid client conflict.
HERE’S HOW TO ATTRACT THE RIGHT CLIENTS AND FILTER OUT THE ILL-FITTING:
1) Get rid of the clients who cause you pain
Just like weeding through all of your sweaters and skinny jeans to find the items that bring you joy, you need to weed through your clients. Marie suggests that you pile all of your clothes onto the bed and hold each one to find out if it’s a keeper or something you can donate. While you can’t scoop your clients into a massive pile and hug each one, you can sort through them to find the ones that make you smile.
To start, make a list of ALL of your clients going back to the dawn of your business. Then find a quiet space in your home and read through your list, stopping to consider each name. You might go a step further, as I did, and slowly run your finger down the list, pausing at each name. Interestingly, when I came to the name of a client I didn’t mesh with, I had a physical reaction and jerked my hand away from the paper (bizarre and mildly hippie-dippie sounding, but it works!).
2) Define your ideal client
One of the beautiful side benefits of cleaning out my home is that it forced me to think in great detail about what I want in my home. I spent time sorting out what my style is and asking, “What will make me happy when I open up my closet or walk through our front door?”
Much like defining my style before shopping helps me purchase the right items, defining who your ideal client is will help you narrow your market. For my family photography business, I talk to moms with multiples and play up my love of the chaos. And for my small business consulting, I focus on moms who work from home. Notice how I’ve automatically eliminated several possible clients from both businesses by simply using a few keywords? “I photograph chaotic families” vs. “I photograph families,” or I consult with “work-at-home moms” vs. the generic “small businesses.”
3) Set up a screening filter
Our clients are like the clothes in our closets and the books on our coffee tables. If you know who your ideal client is (including everything from where they shop to what they believe), you can quickly identify them. This makes that initial meeting more exciting. Once you know precisely the type of person you want to work with, and it's far easier to spot the people who don’t fit your profile.
Develop a filtering process to help you identify your people BEFORE you sign on with them. Think of it as an interview — for both of you!
For example, if I have a video call with someone who jokes about not remembering the last time she washed her hair, then I know we’re on the fast track to friendship. But when someone says she needs to ask her husband before signing up with me, a flag is raised because my ideal client is independent and has already spoken about their dreams to their spouse. They would most certainly not ask for permission to do anything.
Once you know who your ideal client is, you automatically know who isn’t.
The key is to keep your filter tight and not let the wrong ones slip by because they have money. They’re not just a paycheck. They’re someone you will be working with and will hopefully develop an excellent relationship that will set you up for future business and referrals.
If your spidey senses start tingling, you’re better off, in the long run, saying no to the cash flow.
Need a little help knowing if the person on the other end of the phone (or email) is the right one? I’ve been fine-tuning my ideal client for years now and know within the first 60 seconds if the person on the other end of the phone is right for me. Set up a free video call or message me here.
