Solomon Thimothy is on a mission to help as many entrepreneurs as possible start and scale their businesses. | President of OneIMS.
You could have the strongest team, the swankiest office, and all the tricks of the trade, but if you don’t have the right clients, you actually have very little.
Whether you’re just starting out as a business or in a prime position to build up your client base, it’s so crucial to remember that not all business is good business.
When resources are low, the market is tough, or you’re just itching to expand, it can be easy to make mistakes when taking on new clients. They could present you with all the bells and whistles – charisma, enthusiasm, a generous budget – but surface-level impressions can be deceiving.
To gain quality clients that will go the distance with you, you have to dig a little deeper. A simple yet strategic way to determine whether a client is going to be a well-suited addition to your enterprise is to vet them from the get-go.
Separating the Do’s From the Don’ts
It could be an in-person meeting, a video call, or an online form. Whatever medium you choose for carrying out your client vetting, it’s all about the questions you ask. These could include but are certainly not limited to:
- Why did you start your business?
- What are your business values?
- What is your point of difference in your industry?
- Where do you see your business in the next one, three, or five years?
- What is your budget?
- What does your decision-making process look like?
- What is your communication style?
- How do you handle setbacks?
- Why do you think our agency would be a good fit?
By asking direct, well-thought-out questions, you can better understand the client and their business and how well they will mesh with your and your team’s operations. These questions may seem like the kind that gets straightforward answers, but they can be very telling.
Another way to safeguard your investment in a client and avoid getting stuck in an unfavorable situation is to ask if they are willing to start the contract on a trial basis. When you pitch the idea to your client, make it clear that the trial is in place to ensure that both parties are happy with the working relationship and the outcomes of that.
The Upside of Client Vetting
Getting into cahoots with the wrong client can have catastrophic consequences. From financial loss to leaving you with an unfairly judged reputation, there are so many reasons why screening your clients before getting locked into an agreement is the way to go.
Find the Right Fit
Very rarely will you hear a business owner or their people describe what their company is about without talking about their values. Values inform how a business makes decisions, treats its people, separates itself from others, and ultimately shapes its identity.
Taking on a client who doesn’t have the same or at least similar values to that of your business will almost always end badly. If you’re not on the same page as your client, it can lead to issues that can be difficult to resolve.
Save Your Energy
Working with clients and maintaining a high level of service can be incredibly emotionally and physically taxing. From delivering projects on time to producing outcomes that stay within their budget, it takes dedication, hard work, and a whole lot of brain power.
As business owners, it’s our job to keep our clients happy. The harder the client is to satisfy, the more focus is taken away from other clients or business operations that are worth investing time in.
Do It for the Team
Having a difficult client doesn’t just affect you as a business director; it has widespread impacts on your entire team. While you may be dealing directly with the client the most, it can often end up being your people who have to produce the work. If the client is picky, doesn’t give clear direction, or isn’t responsive, it can put enormous strain on your employees.
Is It Worth It?
You might have a client completely in sync with you and your team, but if they’re unable to match your expectations in all areas, they will likely end up causing you more problems than they are worth. Whether their budget lines up with your financial needs and goals can’t go amiss, nor can their ability to pay on time.
The same goes if they have a significant budget and are willing to pay good money for your services, but they don’t seem to mesh with your business and its ethos. The dollar figure can be incredibly tempting, but no amount of money is worth dealing with an impossible client who doesn’t tick all the boxes.
The End Goal
The idea of vetting clients before taking them on may seem a little extreme or raise concerns about driving potential business opportunities away. In reality, this could not be further from the truth. Determining whether a client is a good fit for your business saves you and your team time and energy and reassures the client that the relationship will be just as beneficial for them – the ultimate win-win situation.