Are you frustrated because you aren’t working with the kind of clients you’d like to work with?
I’ve been in business for a while, and I’m now at a point where I’m working with a few seriously awesome clients. They’re very different people from very different backgrounds, but they’re all fabulous.
So I thought I’d outline the key qualities of my fabulous clients, in the hope that this helps you. If a client is giving me an indication of the four qualities below, mini fireworks go off in my brain and I am magnetised to them. If they don’t, then the opposite happens, and I save everyone some wasted time.
The best clients understand the importance of the flow of money and value within the economy
I love the fact that buying and selling goods and services simply represents an exchange of value. If I buy something from you, I’m simply recognising the value you’ve given me in the form of goods or services.
Personally, I love being on the receiving end of this exchange of value. I get a huge thrill out of people giving me money in exchange for the value I give them. Like a lot of other small business owners, I love the sweetness of sending out invoices for jobs I’ve completed.
Clients who understand the importance of the exchange of value and money within the economy are of course just normal hard working people like you and I.
They understand that money plays a role in all of our lives, and they want to see a bright future for their children or grandchildren. They don’t hide away from participating in the economy and sit in an ivory tower miserably hording every dollar. They know that exchanging value and exchanging money not only gets them the products and services they need, it also generates a healthy financial ecosystem for them and the people they love.
The best clients are busy people who are happy to let you do your thing
I love the fact that my clients are enterprising, busy and capable people, who haven’t got time to worry about what I’m doing.
They don’t nit-pick or worry about small details, they simply trust me and let me get on with the job.
The best clients just need me to deliver, and they’re so beautifully appreciative when I do.
At the end of the day, clients and people in small business are all just human beings like everyone else. We’re all dealing with some kind of shit at any given time. Sometimes we’re dealing with a very heavy burden of shit and sometimes our load is a little lighter, but rest assured we’ll be dealing with some kind of shit.
If we can all make each other’s lives even slightly better by delivering something as promised, then that’s a wonderful thing.
The best clients understand your approach and your brand
I don’t play with client’s feet like the woman in the above photo, but she looks like she’s doing a great job of running her massage business and it appears that she has a good relationship with her clients.
My awesome clients understand how I work as a person and they like my brand. They are happy with the way I operate, and as a result they trust me to produce results.
We have an alignment, which has strengthened over time.
A lack of communication about who you are, what you do and how you do it can cause things to go wrong in any business. It can attract the wrong clients to your business in the first place and cause problems for existing clients and for you. Lack of clarity on what a business is offering can result in horrendous experiences. I’ve made this mistake in the past and I sure as hell won’t be making it again. I’ve learnt that the sooner I stand up and start communicating very clearly who I am and how I work, the better off everyone is.
And isn’t that one of the best things about business overall? You can make the worst mistakes ever, but you get to pick yourself up, make amends for that mistake straight away, and know that you’ll never make it again. You’re never stuck with a single thing.
The best clients are interested in what you have to offer and your ideas
We all love to be listened to.
While I love listening to my clients (because that’s the way I uncover the gold), I also love it when clients are interested in my thoughts and my suggestions. Obviously, this is part of adding value to what I offer, but it’s more than that.
It’s synergy, and it’s the beauty of nervously throwing your hat in the ring in your industry, and then having people recognise you in that ring.
There aren’t any words to describe how awesome this is.
In summary, while clients or customers are of course the key to success in business, they are a lot more than that.
Having a range of awesome clients is truly one of the best parts about being in business.
While I’ve got a shit load more faults than the average person, one of my better qualities is that I actually love people and how awesome they are. And I particularly love my clients, because they support me, help me out when I’m flailing about in a deep ocean, and even go so far as to recommend me to others.
How amazing is that?
© Annemaree Jensen