On Pruning

I was in the midst of writing an entry that talked about the importance of eliminating the clients that aren't an ideal fit, when an article showed up in my inbox.  It matched what I was going to say, including some steps on how to prune the less ideal clients from your client roster.  So, in the spirit of "I don't need to recreate the wheel", here it is:

Weeding Pumpkins

Keeping Clients

I know that we are all pursuing our passions and turning that into the revenue stream of our dreams.  Right?  Isn’t that what all the coaching gurus tell you:  “Discover your passion and the money will come.”  And I get that money is not the most important thing in the world, but it touches everything that is important*.  Like your mortgage payment, food on the table, your kid’s soccer lessons.

The reality is that you have to work hard and you need clients.

In my last post, I talked about how to identify your ideal client.  What do you do when you have that client?  How do you keep a client?  My cleaning business is sometimes viewed as a luxury item.  We are often the first to go when times get tough.  With coaching, a client can leave because they have hit hard times or they have outgrown you.  There are a variety of reasons.  How do you keep them and keep them coming back?

First, I suggest developing a relationship with them.  It must be sincere.  People can smell a lack of authenticity a mile away.  Know what their interests are.  Be a good listener.  Relationships are two way streets.  If you have done your “ideal client” homework, it is likely that your ideal client is very similar to you.  And if you like the client, it is reasonable the client will like you back.  After all, we hire people that we know, like and trust.

Second, keep in touch.  Call or email to see how things are going.  It is by keeping in touch that you find out about the little things that may be irksome and you can correct them before they become big things.  If you are aware of your client’s interests, send along appropriate articles or make mention of an upcoming event that the client may be interested in.  Do this when the relationship is active and when the work is light and you are hoping to re-kindle it.

Third, hire people that like people and like to be of service.  If you are in a service business, even if you don’t actually see your client (like in the cleaning, virtual assistant, and bookkeeping businesses), it shows when your employees take pride in their work, knowing they are providing a valuable service to a real person.

Lastly, be consistent.  Your service delivery must have a minimum standard that must always be maintained.  This is why your current clients are with you and will refer you to others.  Even when you go through a spurt of growth, service to existing clients must be maintained. 

Remember: It is easier to keep a client than it is to get a new one.

*  I think I got that from Suzanne Evans.

Who Is Your Ideal Client?

If you think your ideal client is everyone with a pulse, you need to think about this again.  Even with my franchise, some might simply think that my ideal client was someone who needed my services, who lived within my territory, and could afford the services.  That sounds reasonably simple, doesn’t it?  That’s what I thought in the beginning.  It isn’t that simple.

You need to clearly define your ideal client.  What are your ideal client’s characteristics?  Think about it.  You need to have a mental picture of this person.  Is there an age group or gender that you are serving?  What are this person’s personal and business goals?  Does this person have problems or stresses?  What is this person’s work style?  What kind of salary does this person have?  Which iPhone apps does this ideal client use?  There are many questions that you can ask as you develop your image of your ideal client.  When I worked for a major retailer, there were a few client types that were in mind and an avatar was developed for each one.  For example, Sally is a single mom who has a successful career in accounting, on a path to be a director.  She spends much of her free time with her two children and makes time to participate with a local mom’s group.  She is too tired at the end of the night to do housework...

If you don’t have a focus, you will be wasting your time, money, and energy.  You need to have your “Sally” in mind so that you know where to focus your efforts, spend your marketing dollars in the right area, and know exactly where you can reach your clients.

Now that you have your ideal client defined, you can design your message to attract that kind of person.  Then, as your business gets busier, you need to be brave and let go of the existing clients who do not match your ideal client profile.  You will be amazed at how much time that will free up for you and your resources – allowing you to find more ideal clients.

On getting started in business

When I first started out, I didn’t have a clue.

I floundered around for ages.

The process went something like this:

1. I made some small progresses. Got a client here, got a client there. Baby steps, baby steps, and baby steps.
2. I did busy work because it seemed like that was what needed to be done.
3. I stared at my computer, did laundry during the day (that was a selling feature in the original franchisee pitch, by the way), wandered around Costco…
4. I cried, not knowing what I was doing wrong.
5. Repeat 1 to 4 over and over again.

This is despite the fact that I had an MBA and knew things. Lots of things. I had a high GPA from an excellent school. Yet, it didn’t tell me what to do when I got up in the morning. Being knowledgeable is not good enough when you need direction and a kick in the ass.

This cycle went on for quite a while. On the surface, I was doing well. After my first year in operation, I beat the franchisor’s first year revenue target by about 96.9%. And I was dissatisfied. I knew I could do better.

I had to get off that rinse and repeat cycle I was living.

I got myself some mentors: a few fabulous people who reminded me of what needed to be done to make my life (and business) as big as I wanted it to be. And they hugged me when I was having a bad day, usually over the phone or by email.

You know what? None of it was rocket science. In fact, most of it was about uncovering that which I already knew.

But sometimes when you are in the jar, you cannot read the label.

That is why I will always include coaches and mentors on my team. And those coaches and mentors need to have their own coaches and mentors. We are all working together to grow our businesses and lives to be as big as we want them to be.