5 ways to avoid the wrong clients

Have you ever taken on the wrong client? Maybe it was because you thought you could help, or you needed the business. Or maybe you couldn’t recognize he was the wrong client for you.

Never be afraid to turn down the wrong client: it will keep them from multiplying. Instead, focus your marketing efforts on exactly the clients you can help most.

Read: Don’t take a client for the wrong reasons

Here’s how you can avoid a practice that’s full of the wrong clients:

• Know your ideal client. Profile your very best clients in as much detail as you can. Find out what they have in common and make a list of those traits.
• Post your ideal client profile. Bring your team in on this. You and your staff should know exactly what your ideal clients look like, where they hang out, what’s important to them and how to recognize them. Post a list of markers somewhere your team—but not existing clients—can see it every day. (Read: Keep ideal clients)
• Search your existing clients. Look through your business for other people you didn’t identify as ideal, but have similar characteristics. Make a list and set it aside.
• Build your marketing language. Is your website appealing to everyone who can fog a mirror? Let’s say your marketing language speaks to everyone, but your ideal client is a small business owner in the retail products sector. How easily could your ideal client spot you out of a crowd of financial professionals and see that you, specifically, get her? Remember that list you set aside? Test new marketing messages with language geared to your ideal client on them. (Read: Walk in the shoes of your best clients)
• Be brave—say “No thank you.” It might be scary to put off a potential client who doesn’t meet your ideal. But the earlier you learn this lesson, the better. Saying no to the wrong client, no matter how good she seems, will reward you in the end. (I’ve also created some additional free resources you can access here.)